Construction starts on 1.5 trillion/- standard gauge rail project
ippmedia.com/en/business/construction-starts-15-trillion-standard-gauge-rail-project
August 25, 2017
25
Aug 2017
James Kandoya
Business
The Guardian
Construction starts on 1.5 trillion/- standard gauge rail project
THE construction of 1.5trl/- (USD1.2b) Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro has begun in earnest with 15 per cent of the project costs having been cleared by the government since May.
The land on which the SGR will be built has already been cleared from Pugu to Sofa area in Coast Region.Speaking during a special tour to assess the project implementation, the Minister for Works and Communication Prof Makame Mbarawa said the construction of the three camps is underway.
The Shauri Moto camp is expected to accommodate about 200 staff, 3000 for the biggest Sofa camp and 1000 staff for the Ngelengele camp.
"We expect by 2019 the construction of the Dar-Moro SGR will be completed. The contractor must build the rail in accordance to what we signed in the agreement. Rahco and the consultant must make sure that it is built under required standard," said Prof Mbarawa.
"Rahco must also focus on operational perspectives. Must immediately release a tender to a company that will build engines for the electronic train before the construction is over. If you arrange this procurement processes now it will need 18 to have those engines but if you will keep on wasting time it will go even further to that period," said Mbalawa.
He also urged TRL to train local experts who will fully participate in the operations of the electronic train once the contraction is completed in 2019.
Masanja Kadogosa, Rahco managing director, said that the Dar-Moro SGT project will offer more than 6090 direct and indirect jobs.
He said that the project is being implemented by YapI Merkezi in collaboration with Motal-Engil-Africa.
"We have already offered 215 employment opportunities at Soga camp and we expect the camp will need up to 3000 workers. We have so far employed 39 contractors," said Kadogosa.
He further noted that the construction of the concrete sleeper plant at Soga is ongoing whereby sleepers for the SGR will be provided.