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Bombela aims to have the Gautrain link
from the airport to Sandton in operation by the time the football
competition begins.
DESPITE earlier doubts about its completion
date, the Gautrain route between OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton Station
will be ready before the FIFA 2010 World Cup™.
Work at the Marlboro Station
The construction consortium building the
rail link, Bombela Concession Company, has just been given two amounts of
R144-million each from the provincial and national governments, and it plans to
have the route between the airport and Sandton complete by 27 May. The World Cup
starts on 11 June.
"The 'Gautrain' consortium and the Gauteng provincial
government have come to a resolution to ensure completion of the OR Tambo link
and Sandton before the event," according to a statement from the National
Treasury's Thoraya Pandy.
In July 2009, Bombela offered to fast track
construction of this section at a cost of R1,3-billion, but this was refused by
the provincial government. Bombela responded by indicating it would find
solutions without the extra funding, says Ingrid Jensen, the spokesperson for the
Gautrain.
The extra R288-million was paid at the end
of 2009, and, stresses Jensen, it will not necessarily be used for the
completion of the airport link but rather for general construction along the entire
route. The amount largely accounts for inflationary costs.
"A lot can happen, like construction
delays. It is a tight schedule," she says.
In November, Gauteng Premier Nomvula
Mokonyane emphasised that the Gautrain was never a World Cup project, saying
that it would be a bonus if the train was ready by 11 June.
Good progress
Construction work to the airport station is making good progress. The station
concourse is directly linked to the departures level of the adjacent new central
terminal building, one level below.
"Finishing works within the station
concourse shell are approaching completion and electrical and mechanical
installations are well advanced. Ticket vending machines and fare gates have
been installed and are being tested," according to the latest Gautrain construction
update.
"Externally, the platform structures and
canopies are substantially complete, with finishing works, including the
installation of tinted glass closure screens, currently in progress. Rail
tracks have been installed through the station. Construction of the three sets of
emergency access stairs located at the ends on the platform is ongoing."
Meanwhile, the 16 kilometres of tunnels
running from Park Station in the CBD to the Marlboro Station in Alexandra are
complete. Work on the seven emergency access shafts - Hillbrow, Riviera, Dunkeld,
Rivonia Road, Illovo, two in Houghton - is ongoing.
The 10 Gautrain stations are beginning to
look like railway stations, with entrances and exits, stairways, platforms and
parking garages taking shape.
Delays in construction have been caused by
land acquisition issues, delivery and numerous project variation instructions.
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