MPs want stern measures for people destroying BRT infrastructure

By The guardian reporter

Jasson Rweikiza

 A Parliamentary Committee on Administration and Local Government wants the government to take stern measures against people misusing Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) stations to sell their products.

 

The Committee’s chairperson, Jasson Rweikiza said in Dar es Salaam yesterday that it was not proper at all for some people to continue using the stations as selling booths.

 

“These petty traders should be stopped immediately,” he said after a tour to the BRT infrastructure.

     

Rweikiza who is a Member of Parliament for Bukoba Rural constituent said the multi-million project should not be misused by any means because it was put up using taxpayers monies.

 

He also raised alarm over destruction done by motor vehicles and motor cycle drivers and called upon authorities to tighten laws and severely punish culprits.

 

“We propose a tight security along all BRT infrastructure ,” he said during another round of meetings with the Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (DART) Agency management.

 

He also requested DART Agency management to make sure that the committee got   feedback on a the number of matters which were raise in previous meetings by 4th April.

 

The committee wants some clarification on the fair to be paid, exact date for commencing BRT services, an agreement between DART Agency and an interim service provider among other issues.

 

“Answers to these questions will help us in our work,” Rweikiza said.

DART Agency Acting Chief Executive, Ronald Lwakatare said they will respond to all queries raised by the committee on time.

“We have a lot of challenges, we will let our parliamentarians know them,” he said.

 

He noted that the committee, DART Agency and the government ought to work closely to make sure that the first phase of BRT project start and pave way for the commencement of other phases.

 

The Deputy Minister, President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government, Suleiman Jaffo who also attended the meeting assured Dar es Salaam dwellers that the BRT project will start soon.  

 

“The government and other stakeholders are finalising some few issues before the service begins,” he said.

 

He promised that the fair will be affordable to citizens.

 

Dar es Salaam bus rapid transit is a bus rapid transit system currently under construction in Dar es Salaam. . Construction began in April 2012.. The German construction company Strabag International GmbH has been awarded to realize the €134 million project. The first phase of the project will have a length of 21 kilometers on three trunk routes with a total of 29 stations. 10 feeder routes will provide connection to residential areas.  A total of 148 buses with a capacity of 40 passengers each will be deployed. 

 

On 24 April 2015 the Dar Rapid Transit Agency (DART) signed a contract with UDA-RT for the provision of Interim services of the Dar es salaam Rapid Transit system. UDA-RT is a special purpose company formed by UDA and the two Daladala Associations Dar es Salaam Commuter Bus Owners Association (DARCOBOA) and UWADAR for the provision of interim services. The interim services are to provide training to future operators and build up local capacity. The Interim services are set to provide approximately 130,000 long distance commuters service between Kimara and Kivukoni, and Mbezi and Kivukoni. The private dala-dalas will still be operational on these routes and the interim services plans to replace 250 buses.[5] DART still holds the mandate to control operations and UDA-RT is the service provider that will merge with DART in the future. The proposed start of service in January 2016 was delayed amid protests over higher fares than expected.