By Akanimo Sampson
Chief Executive Officer of Tanzania Roads Agency (TANROADS), Patrick Mfugale, says the US $104.5 million Tanzanite Bridge project is currently 71.3% complete, pointing out that the project is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
He told members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Infrastructure during a visit to the construction site that the construction of all 254 foundation pillars has been completed in tandem with ‘’the construction of platforms to facilitate the construction of a permanent bridge foundation.”
Committee Chairman, Seleman Kakoso, commended the Ministry of Works and TANROADS for successfully implementing the project, saying they were more than happy to be told that a local contractor was supervising the work.
“We are pleased with the progress of this project as well as the capacity building program for local contractors so that when this construction is completed they will have the skills to implement the construction of other bridges”, Kakoso who is also Mpanda Rural MP in Katavi region said.
The 1.03km long bridge with 20.5 metres width is being constructed across the Indian Ocean. Construction of the modern bridge aims at easing traffic jams on Ali Hassan Mwinyi Road, which accommodates many vehicles that flow to and from the city centre.
Late last year, TANROADS Project Director, Christianus Ako, an engineer, said the 2017 statistics showed that 42,000 vehicles were using Ali Hassan Mwinyi road per day.
The project is being implemented by the Southern Korean GS Engineering Corporation. It has employed 590 people, with 92% of them being Tanzanians.
According to the project Director, only 8% of the experts are from abroad, the rest of the workers are Tanzanians. He further added that 24 engineers from the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication are getting training under the project.
