MBEYA: A NUMBER of road projects have been successfully implemented in the past three years here, including a-39-kilometre Chunya – Makongolosi road, whose cost was 67bn/-.
The same applied to a-39.1-kilometre KikusyaIpinda-Matema road project that was constructed at 63bn/-, said the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) Mbeya Regional Manager, Engineer Masige Matari.
He told the journalists here recently that during the three years of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, TANROADS also spent about 33bn/- for rehabilitation of the Songwe Airport.
“Implementation of all these projects have opened economic opportunities for Mbeya residents and neighbouring countries, especially in terms of exportation of agricultural products as well as fuelling tourism growth,” he said.
Similarly, in efforts to address traffic congestion, the government has been implementing the one stop centre project at Kasumulu border that connects Tanzania and Malawi, at a tune of over 26bn/-, with construction stage being at over 90 per cent right now.
As of now, he added, the Agency has embarked on new roads’ construction, including a-four-lane road project from Nsalaga to Ifisi area (29km), wherein a total of 138bn/- has been set aside for it, as well as Ibanda-Kajunjumele-Kiwira and Itungi Port project (32km) that will cost at-least 38bn/-.
Others are KatumbaMbambo-Tukuyu Bujesi -Mbambo project (10km) and Tukuyu-Mbambo (7km) whose budget is over 21bn/- , as well as the construction of Igawa-Tunduma (218km), as well as UyoleSongwe feeder road projects (48.9km), according to the manager.
“Up on completion, the projects will have a role to play, in addressing traffic jams and mitigate road accidents,” he said, adding that the Katumba-MbamboTukuyu (35.3 km), MbakaKibaji (20.7km) road projects are also under pipeline.
