An India-based company is expected to be in the country in the coming months to conduct study and assessment plans for the FSC railway system and tramline upgrades around the country.

Minister for Sugar Charan Jeath Singh states that this will include works on the replacing of a major bridge in Sigatoka that was destroyed during past cyclones.

This will allow the transportation of cane from the Sigatoka farming area to the Lautoka mill.

He says that most remote areas around sugarcane farming communities will require the use of locomotives, on which the Ministry is working closely with all relevant stakeholders and the government.

“As you know, railway is the cheapest mode of transporting cane. So we’d like to bring it back, and as I said, it’s not going to cost us a few million dollars; it’s going to cost us several million dollars. But we are determined to reinstall all the railway systems.”

Singh says that they will also be carrying out studies for the Rakiraki railway system upgrade with future plans to use it in carting and transporting cargo and containers from the Fiji Water factory right to Lautoka during off-season.

This will generate more income for FSC while maintaining the conditions and infrastructure of our roads from the impact of heavy truckloads.