An aerial view in Dar es Salaam of a section of the 300-kilometre standard gauge railway being built between the city and Morogoro. The line is over 90 percent complete. PHOTO | FILE
Dar es Salaam. The government has released Sh 376.34 billion for the construction of the 341-kilometre Mwanza-Isaka s341 kimometer Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project.
Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) director general Mr Masanja Kadogosa told The Citizen yesterday they were conducting research to help them identify where the railway line will pass.
“The task of identifying the route is complete by 90 per cent. We have also started to identify the people who are supposed to be compensated,” he said.
In January, the government, through thenForeign minister , Prof Palamagamba Kabudi, signed a contract with theChinese government for the implementation of the project.
The north-south line will link the port of Mwanza on Lake Victoria with the southern town of Isaka. The $1.32 billionline will be funded by the Tanzanian government.
Mr Kadogosa saidthey were optimistic that compensation would not require a “huge” amount of money because most of the identified rail routes are within TRC localities.
Hefurther explained that the construction, which started in May, was being undertaken by JV of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC).
Mr Kadogosa noted that apart from Kwale, they will build some dry ports in Mwanza and Kalema in Bukoba to facilitate transportation of cargo going to Uganda and Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“Normally, transporting cargo is vital in rail operations of that are at least 400 kilometres. Therefore, TRC will construct several dry ports in various regions of the country to allow transportation of goods locally and to neighbouring countries within a short period of time,” he said.
Speaking on a at a certain local television station during an interview, Mr Kadogosa said the firm was planning to construct commuter’s rail lines in some regions to enable vehicle owners to use public transport and reduce traffic congestion.
“In Dodoma, we are currently going on with the design to enable the construction of a commuter rail line. When we finish, we will go to Mwanza, Mtwara and other regions,” he said.
Mr Kadogosa addedthat in Dar es Salaam the city train is important, but still the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) was still needed because it complements other public transport services
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