TANZANIA’S Ministry of Construction and Transport has asked parliament to approve more than Shillings 3.5 trillion ($US 1.47bn) for the implementation of infrastructure projects, with Shillings 2.09 trillion dedicated to the transport sector.
Of this, Shillings 1.13 trillion is expected to fund further work under the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project, which will include new sections from Dodoma to Kigoma, from Uvinza to Burundi, and to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Tanzania, Burundi, and the DRC have signed an agreement to seek funding for the construction of the 282km Uvinza - Musongati - Gitega SGR line, which the Development Bank of Africa (AfDB) has shown an interest in financing.
The government of Tanzania will continue construction of the 1219km SGR from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza. Work on the 300km Dar es Salaam - Morogoro section is 98.14% complete, and 93.88% complete on the 422km Morogoro - Makutupora section.
Work on the 368km Makutupora - Tabora section is 7% complete, and 2.39% complete on the 165km between Tabora and Isaka where work began on January 18. Work on the final 341km from Isaka to Mwanza is 31.07% complete.
The government will also proceed with the 506km second phase of the SGR from Tabora to Kigoma for which the construction contract has been signed and where the contractor is currently preparing to mobilise.
Alongside construction of the SGR, Tanzania’s 1000mm-gauge network and the 1067mm-gauge Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) line will also be upgraded.
Tanzania Railways (TRC) is overseeing a contract signed on February 8 2022 with CRRC of China for the purchase of 1430 wagons for the SGR. Production is 42% complete, and the new wagon fleet is expected to arrive in Tanzania by February 2024.
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