Uganda Railway Corporation (URC) has temporarily closed off the Old Port Bell road to aid in the construction of the Wankoko Railway level crossing and enhance the transportation of goods and services in the country.

This was revealed in a public notice dated November 9, 2023, by the URC, informing motorists and the general public of the development.

According to John Linonn Segendo, the communications officer at URC, the temporary closure will start on Saturday, November 11 to 25, 2023, noting that further delays will delay the construction.

“We were unable to undertake works on the level crossing as earlier communicated due to ongoing road works. Further delays would affect the timeliness and also increase the cost of construction,” Segendo said.

“Due to the ongoing road works in the same area, the temporary diversion route connecting Old Port Bell Road to Spring Road earlier promised will not be available for now until the road works are complete,” he added.

URC advises road users to use alternative routes to avoid any inconveniences.

URC says they took the decision to avoid further delays on the railway works but also to allow the road works to continue as planned.

Rehabilitation works are being carried out on the railway lines in the country. The main railway line from Malaba to Kampala has already been rehabilitated through a UGX 84 billion project contracted to China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).