Gautrain services disrupted due to Illegal drilling on private property above tunnel

Gautrain services have been disrupted between the Park and Rosebank stations due to water and soil seeping into the tunnel section of the system.

According to the Gautrain Management Agency, investigations have established that illegal drilling was being conducted on private property above the tunnel.

The agency's spokesperson, Albi Modise, said the activity was not approved per the requirements of the Gauteng Transport Infrastructure Act (GTIA). 

“This illegal activity therefore caused the ingress of water and soil into the tunnel that affects our ability to operate the system between these two stations,” Modise said.

To mitigate the inconvenience to passengers, Modise said a Gautrain bus replacement service has been set up between Park and Rosebank stations. 

This bus service would be increased to accommodate additional passengers if necessary.

“We appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding as we continue our investigations to identify the owners of the private property where the drilling is suspected to have occurred, as well as the remedial measures that will be implemented to enable the restoration of the full Gautrain services.”

The agency has apologised for the inconvenience caused by the disruption. It said it would keep its customers updated as more information became available.

“We urge all stakeholders to follow due process when any land use changes or construction activities are planned in the vicinity of transport infrastructure in Gauteng so that such occurrences are prevented in the future,” Modise said.

Gautrain is an 80-kilometre higher-speed commuter rail system in Gauteng which links Johannesburg, Pretoria, Kempton Park and OR Tambo International Airport. Parts of the rail network run below ground in tunnels, while the rest of the network runs above ground.

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