Rehabilitation to increase capacity of Tanga airport

Tanga. Tanga Airport is among three airports that will be involved in major rehabilitation to be funded by the World Bank, it has been revealed.

Tanzania National Roads Agency (Tanroads) Tanga regional manager Alfred Ndumbalo said work on the airport, which is part of a major government project involving rehabilitation of ten airports on Tanzania Mainland, would enable two ATR-72 airliners and five Cessna 206-210 light planes to be accommodated at the facility at a go.

Mr Ndumbalo said that future plans by the government included upgrading the airport to allow it to handle Bombardier Q400 airliners or even larger planes.

The rehabilitation project is big news to Tanga residents who have longed for the airport’s upgrade.

Past reports indicated a need for major rehabilitation and expansion to allow Tanga residents to travel on bigger aircraft.

Speaking on the progress towards commencement of the project, Mr Ndumbalo said the project consultant has completed and presented a feasibility study report and detailed design of the project, adding that compensation has already been paid to 24 city residents who would vacate their land to make way for the expansion of the airport.

The government has allocated Sh7.5 billion this financial year for the project.

Meanwhile, it was reported that Tanroads would henceforth be the overall in charge of all airports and airstrips which were previously under the Tanzania Airports Authority through a directive issued by the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications in 2015.

Airports that will be under Tanroads in Tanga Region are Tanga Airport, Mombo airstrip and Mkwaja airstrip.

Tanroads has been overseeing the construction and rehabilitation of airports since the 2016/2017 financial year.