Mauritians are about to see a major upgrade to their transit system. The Mauritius Light Rapid Transit (MLRT) project is now in the delivery stage and project management is being undertaken by World Design Organization member, Aurecon.
A rapidly growing economy, increased vehicle use, excess traffic during peak periods and limited public transport services between the town of Curepipe and the Mauritius capital of Port Louis were key factors in the motivation for the Government of the Republic of Mauritius in seeking a solution for an alternative and sustainable public transport system for its citizens.
The Government of the Republic of Mauritius chose global engineering consulting firm Aurecon to spearhead the project. During initial planning, Aurecon outlined an extensive infrastructure plan that would span roughly 26km and provide a world-class public transit system for commuters travelling between Curepipe and Port Louis. The proposal included bus-rail interchanges, local stations, depot and major roadworks, making the Mauritius Light Rapid Transit system the largest infrastructure project undertaken to date for the island.
The resulting benefits of the MLRT are to be quite significant for this emerging country. Aside from creating roughly 7000 full-time jobs during construction and while reducing traffic and pollution, commercial opportunities and property development along the areas with access to the MLRT are estimated at being worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Existing commercial and residential properties in adjacent areas are also expected to go up considerably in value, making the MLRT project a vital initiative for an ambitious developmental and economic growth strategy for Mauritius.
Mauritius Prime Minister, Pravind Jugnauth announced the launch of the MLRT project in March during a press conference. “With India’s support, we are launching a national project to endow our country with a modern transportation infrastructure that fits into the future. With a Metro Express we are indeed bringing about a conspicuous transformation in the way people will commute and are significantly redefining and modernizing our public transport system. The frustration of commuters has reached its limit. They lose too much time in traffic jams as they travel from their home to their work place and back. Pollution keeps building up and traffic congestion is a serious constraint on the nation’s productivity. Therefore, it is conventional wisdom that countries where employees take less time to travel to work are likely to be more productive. The Metro Express has turned out to be this superior option and the mainline from Curepipe to Port Louis, which is 26km, will comprise 19 stations including four interchanges. And each station will be a new pole of economic activity that will bustle with activity. The project will have significant positive spillover on its surroundings and provide vast opportunities for SME operators. It is estimated, that during the construction phase, the project will create around 7000 full-time jobs and contribute 13 billion rupees to national output.” (Source: Indian Ocean News)
Aurecon is very proud to be a part of the project as it fits with their business strategy of growing economies and making a real difference in the community where they are working. The World Design Organization recognizes that the MLRT project fits the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals of building resilient infrastructure, promoting sustainable industrialization while fostering innovation. The project also reaches the goal of empowering communities by making the cities affected safe, resilient and sustainable.
As a symbol of modern Mauritius, the Mauritius Light Rapid Transit system is about to transform the lives of its citizens and help revolutionize Mauritius into a more prosperous, sustainable and greener nation.
