Madagascar's capital leaves costly cable car system idle after brief operation

Antananarivo's $173 million cable car project, launched by former President Andry Rajoelina, ceased operations after only a few weeks, leaving the infrastructure unused.

Former President Andry Rajoelina inaugurated a $173 million cable car line in Antananarivo, hoping to lift thousands of commuters above the capital's notorious traffic jams. The system, financed by French loans, was projected to transport up to 75,000 riders per day and reduce road congestion, but it operated for only a few weeks before being shut down. High fares—70 to 90 U.S. cents per trip—were six to eight times the cost of minibus taxis, making the service unaffordable for a population where most earn around $72 a month.

Repeated electricity cuts halted service, and residents questioned the priority of the project over essential utilities like water and electricity. During the military coup that removed Rajoelina, several stations were burned or damaged, and the new transitional authority has offered no clear future for the line. A French-Madagascar consortium inspected the infrastructure in March and submitted a report, leaving the decision on its fate to Malagasy officials.