Madagascar: the Antananarivo cable car, between promises and disappointments.

The city of Antananarivo, the jewel of Madagascar, seems to have hit a new setback in its ambition to modernize its transport infrastructure. Indeed, the long-awaited cable car project, supposed to connect key districts of the capital and offer an alternative to chaotic traffic, has been postponed again. What is happening, while road users are tearing their hair out in traffic jams?

Antananarivo: the cable car, an empty promise

Initially planned for 2021, the launch of the Antananarivo cable car should have relieved some of the traffic congestion. But now, 2023 is well underway and the project is still stalling. The reasons? An explosive mix of uncertain funding, endless administrative procedures and a hint of ill will. Promises are flying away, leaving residents stranded. The Malagasy metropolis really does not need this kind of twist, especially when the need for real solutions is sorely felt.

Repeated delays: unease in the capital

This postponement is making people grind their teeth, and not just a little! The people of Antananarivo no longer understand how a project that seemed to be a breath of fresh air has turned into a mop of disillusionment. The municipality had announced with great fanfare that the cable car would be a “sustainable transport model”. But with such chaotic planning, one has the right to wonder if the decision-makers really know the meaning of the word “sustainable”. The city’s inhabitants, at the end of their tether, are deploring this slowness that rhymes with inactivity.

The role of the authorities: between promises and results

While the authorities loudly proclaim their desire to modernize Antananarivo, many voices are raised to denounce a lack of long-term vision. The political opposition does not hesitate to point the finger at the inability of the leaders to carry out large-scale projects, suggesting that the cable car is just one example among many of fragile hopes. Questions are being asked about the ability of decision-makers to pull the city out of its doldrums, while projects that are nevertheless attractive seem doomed to swirl into oblivion.

The Antananarivo cable car was once seen as a symbol of progress, a project that could have transformed the cityscape. Now it is more of a bitter metaphor for failed projections and suspended dreams. Citizens are desperate for their city to regain its dynamism. The hope of a convenient and modern form of transportation hangs over Antananarivo, but given the current state of affairs, we will probably have to look up and pray that the skies will finally clear.