Chinese state firm in talks to take over rail project
With renovation work on the country’s dilapidated railway at a standstill, the Ministry of Public Works has entered into talks with a regional consortium backed by one of the largest firms in China to replace the railway’s current operator, officials said yesterday. … Faced with a slew of engineering problems and delays, including protests over the relocation of thousands of families living along the railway, Toll Royal Railways (TRR) indefinitely stopped operating trains on the rail line on March 31. In a statement yesterday, Kampuchea Rail announced that they had made an offer to the government last week to pay up to $90 million to cover the shortfall in renovation funds in exchange for assuming work as the railway’s sole operator. Along with operating trains, Kampuchea Rail is also making an offer to take over all work related to the physical renovation of the rail network. …
