Republic of Mauritius- Commercial operation service of Metro Express kicks off today

In this context, the President of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Prithvirajsing Roopun, and the Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Mr Alan Ganoo, were on board the metro to make the first paid trip from Rose-Hill to Port-Louis, in presence of other personalities.

In a statement, President Roopun pointed out that the commercial operation service of the Metro Express marks a milestone in the history of Mauritius and represents advancement and progress the country has made throughout the years. It also represents a first step in the modernisation of the local transport system, he added.

The President expressed his appreciation regarding the completion of phase one of the Metro Express project within the set time frame and paid tribute to all the stakeholders that have contributed to make the project a reality. He also thanked the residents along the Metro Express track for their patience and understanding during the work carried out to complete this project. He further made an appeal to the population to use this new modern mode of transport as often as possible, while respecting safety standards.

As for the Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Mr Alan Ganoo, he expressed his confidence that the second phase of the Metro Express, from Rose-Hill to Curepipe, will be completed before September 2021. He recalled that from 22 December 2019 to date, some 270 000 persons have travelled on board the metro, representing almost one quarter of the population of the country. This, he said, demonstrates the enthusiasm and interest of the public for this new mode of transport.

Metro Express

The Light Rail Vehicles will operate in both directions on the Rose Hill/Port Louis stretch. Around 2 400 persons can travel per hour in both directions with 15-minutes headway. As from 10 January 2020, the public will pay the prescribed fare to travel onboard the light rail vehicles. The fare will be deducted and controlled through an Electronic System, that is, the MECards.

The MECards for adults and children are available at the seven stations along the Rose-Hill – Port-Louis stretch, as well as at Emmanuel Anquetil and Air Mauritius buildings in Port-Louis and SICOM Tower in Ebène. An official from Metro Express Ltd will be present at each point of sales to assist in the procurement and any transaction with the MECards.