THE government has earmarked infrastructural development as among top priorities to be implemented during the coming financial year 2023/24 as part of continued efforts to ease transportation of people, goods and services.
Minister for Finance and Planning, Dr Mwigulu Nchemba said in the National Assembly on Thursday while tabling the government’s 44.39tri/- expenditure plan for the year 2023/24, mentioning the construction of Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) roads and bridges as among areas where the government will put more focus going forward.
These projects stand as continuations of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s bold efforts to further reopen the country through the infrastructural sector whose improvement creates a number of social and economic opportunities for national development.
Dr Nchemba told the house that the government is fostering a further 3,934.7 new kilometres network of tarmac roads as the country intends to establish itself as a leading logistics hub in the region and investing heavily in land, sea and air transport.
In the infrastructural development sector, the government through the Ministry of Works and Transport will implement 19 key priorities under the 3.55tri/- budget.
Out of the priorities, seven are in the works sector whose implementation will add 3,934.7 new kilometres to the country’s network of tarmac roads.
Currently, the country’s network of tarmac roads stands at 11,387.82km, meaning the additional 3,934.7 will expand the coverage to 15, 321km.
Completion of the projects will be implemented in the coming financial year, making the country to have a total of 15,522.52 km, recording an increase of 34 per cent.
In the current year, the government continued with the construction of SGR, whereas LOT one from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro is now at 98.14 per cent of completion that includes construction of the Port link (34.97 per cent).
Dr Nchemba said the Morogoro – Makutupora Lot (422 km) has reached 93.83 per cent, Mwanza – Isaka (341 km) (31.07 per cent), Makutupora – Tabora (371 km) (7.0 per cent) while the Tabora – Isaka Lot that has 163 km is at 2.39 per cent towards completion.
“On the other hand, 22 passenger wagons for the Meter Gauge railway (MGR) were procured; the rehabilitation of 52 freight wagons and six (6) passenger wagons was completed and currently in use; and the improvement of communication and electric systems for the MGR from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza was complete,” he said.
Minister for Works and Transport, Prof Makame Mbarawa said in May this year that the projects will be implemented under arrangement of Engineering Construction and Financing (EPC+C).
“In the coming financial year, the government will also commence the implementation for construction of 205 kilometres of Expressway from Kibaha in the Coast Region to Morogoro Region under Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement,” he said.
According to him, right now the government is in the evaluation process to identify contractors who have expressed interest in executing the project for the Kibaha- Chalinze section that covers 78.9kilometres.
Prof Mbarawa informed the National Assembly that the consultant engineer is continuing with feasibility study for the second section from Chalinze-Morogoro at a distance of 206.1km.
The minister explained further that the government will continue with the construction of various roads projects at a length of 1031.98km that are in various stages of implementation.
