SGR Malagarasi Bridge project thrills Prof Mbarawa 

TABORA: The Minister for Transport, Professor Makame Mbarawa, has expressed satisfaction with the progress of construction of the 460-metre-long Malagarasi Bridge, which is being built along the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) on the Tabora–Kigoma section.

Speaking during an inspection of the project’s progress, Professor Mbarawa said work was ongoing at various locations and that no contractor had suspended construction activities on the railway line.

He said that although implementation of the project had begun recently, the progress achieved so far indicated that it could be completed within the planned timeframe of 2029.

“For those who say that no work is being done, you are witnesses yourselves. We have seen work on the construction of bridge foundations and drainage systems, which are essential before the railway tracks can be laid,” he said.
He explained that the Government was continuing to mobilise funds for the project and ensure that contractors were paid for work completed and verified through payment certificates.

The Tabora–Kigoma section is estimated to cost US$2.7 billion, equivalent to approximately 7tri/-.

For his part, the Director General of Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC), Machibya Shiwa, said the Malagarasi Bridge was a critical part of the project because of the complexity of its construction and the time required to complete the work.
He said the bridge would require three working seasons to complete and that overall progress on the project had reached 12 percent.

He added that completing sections involving major engineering challenges would make it easier to proceed with the subsequent stages of construction.

Once completed, the project will enable modern railway transport from Dar es Salaam to Kigoma, with trains expected to travel at speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour. This is expected to stimulate economic activities and improve transport services across the country.