Efforts intensifies to accelerate SGR’s Lot III works

TABORA: THE government is planning a high-level meeting involving the Prime Minister, Ministers for Finance and Transport and contractors to address challenges delaying the construction of SGR Lot Three and ensure its completion, now scheduled for 2028.

The meeting, to be chaired by Prime Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba, will bring together key stakeholders to review progress and find solutions to obstacles affecting the project.

Speaking yesterday during an inspection of construction works on the section at Tura in Tabora Region, Minister for Finance Ambassador Khamis Mussa Omar said progress was becoming visible despite challenges encountered during implementation.

He said the meeting was part of the government’s efforts to closely monitor the project and address obstacles affecting construction.

“We will soon hold a joint meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, bringing together all sectoral ministries and contractors to discuss progress in the construction of the SGR,” he said.

Ambassador Omar said the section was initially scheduled for completion this year. However, challenges facing the contractor have pushed the completion date to 2028.

He stressed that, alongside accelerating construction, contractors must comply with environmental protection requirements and provide services to communities surrounding project areas, as stipulated in their contracts.

For his part, Minister for Transport Prof Makame Mbarawa said the main contractor for the section ( Lot 3 &4) has received an advance payment to ensure the project takes off.

However, the minister said the contractor has encountered various challenges, prompting the government to intervene to ensure construction continues.

He said the government advised the main contractor to subcontract some of the works to other companies to strengthen implementation capacity. Currently, five companies are involved in constructing the section.

Prof Mbarawa said the government also plans to establish a mechanism to ensure payments made to the main contractor reach subcontractors undertaking work on the project.

“One of the issues we want to discuss with our colleagues is ensuring that part of the payments made to the main contractor is channelled to the subcontractors working on this section.

“This is because if the main contractor receives all the money but fails to pay the other companies, they will also be unable to continue with their work,” he stressed.

Lot Three of the Tanzania Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) covers the 294-kilometre main line (plus siding and passing loops) from Makutupora in Singida Region to Tabora, forming Phase 3 of the central corridor connecting Dar es Salaam to Mwanza.