SGR section, water project unveiled
ippmedia.com/en/news/sgr-section-water-project-unveiled
June 15, 2021
15
Jun 2021
By Guardian Reporter
Mwanza
News
The Guardian
SGR section, water project unveiled
- Samia: Mwanza future EAC business hub
PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan yesterday reaffirmed the government’s intention to improve financial and social services in Mwanza city to make it a business hub for the wider lake zone and East African Community (EAC) partner states.
She was addressing residents of Mkuyuni on the way to Misungwi District, saying that the construction of the 42bn/- Bank of Tanzania (BoT) building in Mwanza was part of various efforts undertaken by the government to transform Lake Zone regions and enable the city to emerge as an EAC business hub.
She said that a total of 39.7bn/- has been allocated for the construction of a modern main bus stand and a market in Nyegezi area.
“Our intention is to see Mwanza city becoming an EAC’s business center,” she said, elaborating that the EAC has a market of up to 177.2m people and a combined GDP of $200bn.
Inaugurating the 13.77bn/- clean water and sanitation project in the district, the president said water projects require huge investments which investors can’t undertake as they need to operate them profitably, so water shall be sold too expensively.
Funded by the government through a concessional loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the French Development Agency (AFD), the project will benefit over 64,000 residents, officials said.
She urged the residents to protect the built water infrastructures as the government has spent a lot of money to ensure access to clean and safe water. “If these projects are executed by the private sector, none of you could afford to buy a liter of water,” she remarked.
The president said Tanzanians must protect natural resources especially water sources as environmental degradation contributes to drying up of water sources.
She said that at independence, the population stood at around 10m and access to clean water was 12,600 cubic meters per individual each year. “Currently, each Tanzanian gets an estimated 2,250 cubic meters of water. We need to protect our water sources to guarantee us with reliable clean and safe water services in the coming years,” she urged.
Officials of the Mwanza Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (MWAUWASA) and Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA) must ensure that clients are provided with genuine monthly water bills, she emphasised.
Laying the foundation stone for the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Mwanza to Isaka (341 kilometres), President Samia said that the construction of the remaining SGR sections of Makutopora to Tabora and then to Isaka will start at any moment.
The ongoing construction of new vessels and repairs at lakeside yards, construction of a new terminal at the airport aims at enhancing the region as a business hub in the East Africa region, she said.
The president affirmed that experience shows that poor transportation contribute to low production, at three percent of potential investments, while good transportation access enhances investment chances to about 40 percent of potential.
Efficient railway transport is expected to reduce costs of transporting goodsfrom the port of Dar es Salaam to the rest of the country and neighboring countries, she said, noting further that research shows that the new railway will help the country to collect revenues from estimated 15,000 tonnes of cargo being transported annually to 25,000 tonnes, along with promoting tourism and agriculture.
Dr Leonard Chamuriho, the minister for Works and Transportation, said the driving test for the long-awaited speed train was slated to start in August but shall now start in December, citing the Covid-19 challenge in the manufacturing country as the reason for postponing the start of that exercise.
He said that in this year budget, the government has set over two trillion shillings for infrastructure including SGR and building vessels at yards in Mwanza city.
Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) director general Masanja Kadogosa said that the construction of the Mwanza-Isaka (341-kilometre) section started on May 15 and will be completed mid-April 2024.
The 36 months project billed at $1.326m (equivalent to over 3trn/-) will have nine stations including marshalling yards and workshops, listing the stations as Isaka, Bukene, Shinyanga Seke, Malampaka, Bukwimba, Mtale, Mwanza central and Fela.
“TRC is committed to ensuring that the construction of the SGR meets all recommended standards,” he said, elaborating that the railway line will have 44 underpasses and 23 overpasses, while it will be fenced to prevent people from rushing into accidents.
In the Mwanza/Isaka section, a 5.1 kilometers bridge will be constructed in the city to reduce interaction with road users, he said, noting that the overall project will create11,000 direct job opportunities and 75000 indirect employment chances. A total of 5.4m cement bags will be used.
Huawei Deputy CEO, Michael Zhang said currently the company is working with TRC to provide communication equipment and service for the SGR project.
The firm intends to use the Global System for Mobile Communications-Railway (GSM-R) which will evolve into LTE-R (described as long term (communications) evolution for railway), representing the next generation wireless communication system for high speed railway, basically designed in China.
“Under the new leadership of President Samia, Huawei will continue to build ICT infrastructure in line with the Tanzania Development Vision 2025,’’ the director underlined.
MY TAKE
Over 5 km of viaduct within Mwanza city of 341 km of electrical SGR , 9 electrical SGR Terminals/stations, Marshalling yards and workshops at $ 1.32 bln. How much did CCECC charge Kenya for 578 km of diesel SGR ? I hear $3.6 bln!
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