Major strides in infrastructure
DODOMA: TANZANIA has witnessed significant advancements in its infrastructure sector over the past four years, marked by extensive road network expansion, construction of major bridges and airport upgrades.
Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) Director of Infrastructure Planning, Engineer Ephatar Mlavi said in Dodoma yesterday that as of December 2024, the government had already released approximately 7.4 billion US dollars plus EUR 45.8 million (about 2.8tri/-), as payments for contractors working on roads, bridges and airport projects across the country.
Presenting a report he said that for the past four years, road conditions have improved significantly. Since President Samia Suluhu Hassan assumed office on March 19, 2021, TANROADS has been engaged in 15,625.55 kilometres of road construction projects, with 1,365.87km of tarmac roads completed within four years.
The director noted that a total of 2,031.11km of tarmac roads are still under construction, while feasibility studies have been conducted on 2,052.94 km of roads in preparation for tarmac standard construction.
He added that nine mega bridges, including the Tanzanite Bridge, which crosses the Indian Ocean, were completed within four years, while ten others are currently under construction.
The completed bridges include Gerezani (Dar es Salaam), Wami (Coast Region), Kitengule (Kagera), Kiyegeya (Morogoro), Ruaha (Morogoro), Ruhuhu (Ruvuma), Mpwapwa (Dodoma) and Msingi (Singida).
According to Eng Mlavi, the construction of the longest bridge in the East African region, the Kigongo-Busisi (JP Magufuli Bridge), is 96.4 per cent complete.
When President Samia took office, the construction of the lucrative 3 km project was at 25 per cent complete.
“This is an important bridge in the region, which will link Tanzania with neighbouring countries including Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as well as regions in the northwest,” he noted.
Apart from J.P. Magufuli Bridge, other bridges under construction and in the mobilisation, stage include Lower Mpiji (Dar es Salaam), Mbambe (Coast), Simiyu, Pangani (Tanga), Sukuma (Mwanza), Kerema Maziwani, Kibakwe (Dodoma), Mirumba (Katavi) and Jangwani (Dar es Salaam).
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He added that TANROADS continues to implement strategic projects to curb traffic congestion in towns and cities, including the construction of Rapid Bus Transport (BRT) roads in Dar es Salaam and flyovers at Chang’ombe and Uhasibu junctions.
Other projects include the Dodoma Outer Ring Road, the Iringa Bypass (in the mobilisation stage), the Maswa Bypass in Simiyu (completed) and the Songea Bypass.
The government has also set aside a total of 840bn/- for the rehabilitation of infrastructure affected by El Niño rains and Cyclone Hidaya.
The funds have been released under the Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC), funded by the World Bank (WB).
“A total of 80 contracts have been signed for the implementation of emergency projects, including bridges and culverts,” Eng Mlavi stated.
Over the past four years, TANROADS has completed a total of seven airport projects, while eight others are still underway.
Completed projects include Julius Nyerere International Airport (Terminal III), Mwanza, Mtwara, Songea, Songwe (Runway), Geita and Songwe airports.
The eight airports still under construction are Msalato (Dodoma), Iringa, Musoma, Tabora, Shinyanga, Sumbawanga, Kigoma, Moshi and Manyara.
Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, who also serves as the Chief Government Spokesperson, Mr Gerson Msigwa, said that the government and private sector will collaborate under the public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement to increase the number of buses in the BRT project to address transport challenges in Dar es Salaam.
“As already stated, the service providers will bring those buses in March,” he said.
He noted that three service providers for the City Centre-Mbagala route will deploy enough buses, while UDART is expected to add a fleet of 150 buses.
Mr Msigwa also mentioned that the Information Department has arranged various press conferences, where public institutions and ministries will have the opportunity to explain the progress the country has achieved over the past four years.
