Africa-Press – Mauritius. Government will continue in its endeavour to provide citizens and businesses with modern amenities and infrastructure, and, in this context, the Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, Dr Renganaden Padayachy, announced, this evening, that Rs 2.6 billion has been earmarked in budget 2022-23 to pursue the Road Decongestion Programme so as to implement road construction works.
A provision of Rs 1.1 billion has also been made for the completion of: The Palmerstone Road by September 2022; The A1-M1 Bridge by December 2022; La Vigie – La Brasserie Link Road by February 2023; and The Verdun Bypass by March 2023. Furthermore, in a bid to improve connectivity, the Finance Minister highlighted that Rs 1.5 billion will be provided over the fiscal year for the construction of:Five new flyovers at Quay D, Terre Rouge, St Pierre, Wooton, and Ebène; Three new bypasses at Flic-en-Flac connecting Pierrefond to Avenue Radar, at Bois Cheri from Avalon to Grand Bois, and at Hermitage along Côte D’Or Road;
A New Link Road from La Brasserie to Beau Songes; A New Link Road from Dubreuil to Melrose; and Upgrading and enlargement of the road from Beau Climat to Tyack.
The Metro Express, he underlined, will be fully operational on the Port-Louis – Curepipe corridor, as well as between Rose Hill and Réduit before the end of this year and will implement photovoltaic farms at its Richelieu Depot, at Barkly as well as at Ebène Recreational Park to cater for its electricity needs.
As regards the transition to Land Transport Electric Vehicles (EV), Minister Padayachy reiterated that budget 2022-23 comprises measures to further reduce our dependence on import of petroleum products, decarbonise the land transport system, and accelerate the EV transition.
These are: The provision of leasing facilities of 3 % per annum over 10 years to transport operators by the Industrial Finance Corporation of Mauritius (IFCM) to acquire electric vehicles and charging infrastructure;
200 electric buses will be acquired to renew half of the fleet of the National Transport Corporation; As from the next financial year, the Bus Modernisation Scheme will apply only to electric buses;
The IFCM will provide concessionary leasing at 3.5 % per annum to companies renewing their company fleet to electric only; The Development Bank of Mauritius will provide a 0.5 percent loan of up to Rs 3 million to taxis and van operators over a period of seven years for the purchase of electric vehicles;
As from 1st July 2022, all hybrid and electric vehicles will be duty-free; and The introduction of a negative excise duty scheme of 10 % for the purchase of electric vehicles by individuals up to a maximum of Rs 200,000. In addition, a new regulatory framework will be implemented by December 2022 to enable users to book taxi services online.
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