Tabora–Mwanza SGR reaches 69pc milestone

TANZANIA: CONSTRUCTION of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) linking Dar es Salaam and Mwanza has surpassed 69 per cent on key sections, with the Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) saying the project remains on schedule despite compensation challenges in some urban areas.

TRC Director General Engineer, Machibya Shiwa said yesterday that construction of Lot Four, covering Tabora– Isaka, together with the Makutupora–Tabora section and implementation of Lot five, has made significant progress and remains on track for completion within the planned timeframe.

“The construction is ahead compared with the implementation of the middle sections,” Engineer Shiwa said after a TRC Board of Directors inspection tour of construction works on Lots three, four and five in Tabora and Mwanza regions.

He said implementation of the project is progressing well, while acknowledging that compensation for residents affected by the railway has slowed some activities on the Isaka–Mwanza section.

“Currently, implementation of the SGR construction project is progressing well,” he said. Eng Shiwa said that the contractor began construction from Mwanza towards Isaka after challenges emerged while entering major urban centres.

“What happened is that we skipped ahead and started from Mwanza towards Isaka. Challenges associated with entering major cities emerged during construction, mainly because of interactions with other social activities,” he said.

He said Lot Five continues to face compensation-related challenges along the 20-kilometre stretch between Fela and Mwanza City, where relocating residents requires substantial resources and careful handling.

“From Fela to Mwanza City, a distance of 20 kilometres, there are still challenges related to compensation for residents. Relocating residents from urban areas involves substantial compensation costs and requires careful handling to allow them to vacate areas,” he said.

Eng Shiwa attributed the steady progress to early preparations after construction contracts were signed in January 2021, saying activities such as detailed project design may not be visible but are essential for accelerating construction.

“Preparations take up to two years. Project design is among the activities that are not visible, but they are what enable construction to proceed at a faster pace,” he said.

He said the board’s inspection tour was intended to assess the implementation of the first phase of the 1,216-kilometre railway connecting Dar es Salaam and Mwanza, which is divided into five construction lots.

The first phase comprises Lot one from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro, Lot two from Morogoro to Makutupora, Lot three from Makutupora to Tabora, Lot four from Tabora to Isaka and Lot five from Isaka to Mwanza.

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Eng Shiwa also said measures have been put in place to protect completed and ongoing works from heavy rains after previous El Niño seasons caused costly delays.

“In 2019/20, heavy rains occurred during construction of the Dar es Salaam section and set us back. When you resume construction, it is like starting the work all over again,” he said.

TRC Board Chairman, Mr Jaffer Machano said the board was satisfied with the pace of construction after inspecting the project.

“We are pleased with the progress of construction and expect the monthly output and progress to continue improving,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sinan Doymus Company Deputy Programme Manager, Mr Yap Merkeri said the contractor remains committed to completing Lot four within the agreed timeframe.