“This project will be implemented by the government in collaboration with public private partnership”.PHOTO|FILE
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According to Dr Magufuli, Sh1.5 billion will be spent on the Ardhi-Makongo road and Sh50 million will be spent on supervising and following up the construction of the Bus Rapid Transit Infrastructure.
Dodoma. The Ministry of Works plans to spend Sh28 billion on ending traffic jams in Dar es Salaam in the new financial year beginning in June. Works minister John Magufuli told Parliament on Tuesday night that at least 109 kilometres will be paved in the city. The project will cover all feeder roads that could help residents reach their destinations without resorting to main roads.
The feeder roads to be constructed beginning July are Kawawa Road roundabout-Msimbazi Valley/Twiga Junction-Msimbazi Valley-Jangwani/Twiga Junction(Sh605m), Jet Corner-Vituka-Davis Corner (Sh1.2bn), Ubungo Maziwa-External and Tabata Dampo--Kigogo (Sh2.5 billion).
Also in the plan are Kimara-Kilungule-External (Sh5 billion), Mbezi-Malambamawili-Kinyerezi-Banana (Sh6 billion) and Tegeta-Kibaoni-Wazo Hill-Goba up to Mbezi Mwisho (Sh5 billion) where it will connect to Morogoro Road (Sh5 billion).
The minister added that Sh3 billion will go into the construction of Tangi Bovu-Goba road and Sh1.5 billion has been set aside for the Kimara Baruti-Msewe-Changanyikeni road. The Kibamba-Kisopwa road will get Sh1.5 billion and the Banana-Kitunda-Kivule road to Msongola, which is about 14.7km long, will receive Sh1 billion.
According to Dr Magufuli, Sh1.5 billion will be spent on the Ardhi-Makongo road and Sh50 million will be spent on supervising and following up the construction of the Bus Rapid Transit Infrastructure.
A 200-km multiple road system to connect Dar es Salaam and Morogoro will be built to expressway standards, with Sh100 million allocated for initial preparations.
“This project will be implemented by the government in collaboration with public private partnership and Sh100 million has been allocated in the 2014/2015 fiscal year for initial preparations for the construction of the first phase of the project,” said Dr Magufuli.
The first phase will cover at least 100km from Dar es Salaam to Chalinze. Furthermore, at least Sh250 million has been allocated to a feasibility study that will enable the expansion of the highway from Kimara Mwisho to Kibaha, including reconstruction and expansion of Kibamba, Kiluvya and Mpiji bridges. A total of Sh2.5 billion will go into the construction of a flyover at the Tazara junction.
The minister said Sh3 billion has been allocated for the improvement of Chang’ombe, Ubungo, Uhasibu, KAMATA, Magomeni, Mwenge, Tabata/Mandela and Morocco junctions.
The minister told Parliament that the expansion of the six-kilometre road from Tazara to Julius Nyerere International Airport to a multiple road system is in the pipeline. “We have allocated Sh150 million for initial preparations of the project, which is also under the Big Results Now initiative,” Dr Magufuli said.
In another development, the construction of the Bagamoyo-Dar es Salaam road will be completed in June this year.
The parliamentary committee for infrastructure urged the government to implement its plans to decongest the city. Reading the committee report, Mr Mtutura Abdaallah Mtutura said at least 75 percent of government revenue is collected in Dar es Salaam and that there were good reasons to improve the city’s infrastructure to boost economic activities.
The committee challenged the government’s plan to establish ferry operations from Bagamoyo to Dar es Salaam, though, saying the move will not end traffic jams in the city.
According to Mr Mtutura, the ultimate solution to traffic pile-ups in the city was flyovers, expansion of the Salender and Gerezani bridges and improving road junctions.
The committee also suggested construction of ring roads and feeder roads. Mr Mtutura added that the government, through the ministry concerned, must get rid of all bumps on the highways.
The opposition spokesman, Mr Felix Mkosamali, said the government must pull up its socks and build more tarmacked roads in the regions. According to him, reliable roads that are built to tarmac level comprise only 21 per cent of all roads in the country.
The ministry has requested a total of Sh1.2 trillion for both development projects and recurrent expenditure. According to Dr Magufuli, Sh557 billion will go to recurrent expenditure, Sh24 billion of it to salaries, Sh6.9 billion to Other Charges (OC) and Sh526 billion for the road fund. He added that Sh662 billion will be spent on various development projects.
