DAR ES SALAAM: THE capacity of main passenger terminal for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) at Kivukoni area in Dar es Salaam will quadruple in a bid to accommodate an expected increase in number of buses as more routes set to begin.
The Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit Agency (DART) announced on Monday that it is looking forward to embark on expansion project for the terminal, from October 21. He said upon its completion the terminal will have capacity of handling 320 BRT buses per hour, up from current only 80 buses.
The expansion is part of the implementation of the 429bn/- BRT Phase IV project stretching from Kivukoni to Tegeta via the Bagamoyo Road in the city.
This comes as BRT phase II project which starts from Mbagala to Gerezani is on completion point set for handing over to the government soon. The other phases (III and IV) are currently under construction.
The expansion is meant to enable the terminal to accommodate buses that would be plying on BRT routes in Phases II (Mbagala), Phase III (Gongo la Mboto), and Phase IV (Tegeta).
According to DART Acting Transport Planning Manager, Eng Mohamed Kuganda, currently the terminal handles 80 buses per hour, but once the construction of new terminal is completed, the facility will be able to accommodate 320 buses per hour.
“Each bus has a capacity of carrying160 passengers, the construction work which starts this month is expected to be completed in 2025,” he noted.
Due to the expansion works, the buses that usually head to Kivukoni will be required to drop passengers at the city centre to enable the construction work to take place smoothly. The expansion of the terminal will be implemented by China Communication Construction Company Limited (CCCCL).
Detailing on the project during a press conference held in Dar es Salaam on Monday, DART’s head of the communication and public relations unit, William Gatambi informed all residents in the city, particularly commuters, commuter bus owners, and drivers who use Kivukoni bus station, that the place will no longer be in operation from October 20 this year.
According to him, the station will need to be closed during construction for safety reasons.
He mentioned three alternative stops as area around the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development and Ohio Street along PPF Tower building..
“The other stops will be at Ohio Street along the PPF Tower, which will serve the buses from Tegeta and Gongo la Mboto and at the old Post Office opposite NBC Bank. This will handle buses from Kivule, Kisemvule, and Mbande,” he noted.
The Dar es Salaam Association of Commuter Owners (DARCOBOA) acting permanent secretary, Shifwaya Lema, urged drivers and passengers to adhere to the guidelines provided by the DART in order to promote development for the transportation sector.
The Land Transport Regulatory Authority (LATRA) Regional Officer in Charge, Rahim Kondo, for his part, asked the commuter bus owners and other service providers to use the proposed bus stops. “Failure to adhere to the rules will attract stern measures against them,” he said.
