The construction of a multi-billion eight-lane Kimara-Kibaha road section has been completed by 96 percent, with the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) revealing to have applied new technologies to make it endure heavy weight and last longer.
According to the TANROADS, the construction of the 19.2-kilometre long-road from Kimara to Kibaha is expected to be completed next month as per contract.
TANROADS Dar es Salaam Zonal Manager Julius Ngusa said experts have adopted the new technologies as recommended in the new Interim Design Manual of the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication in the implementation of the 140bn/- worth project.
The contractor, Estim Construction Company Ltd, has applied modern construction technologies which are technically called 'Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) and Super pave System' instead of normally used Asphat concrete (Marshal).
Shedding light on the importance of the new technologies against the Asphat concrete, he said, the new Kimara-Kibaha road section would be able to handle trucks with heavy cargo, thus avoiding damages on the road.
It was born out of the Ministry' study in 2018 which established massive destruction of the highways due to heavy cargo trucks, hence forcing the government to incur costs on repairing roads annually.
The study found out that there were about 50,000 cargo trucks using the Dar-Morogoro Highway per day.
Yesterday, a team of officials from the Roads Fund Board visited the ongoing road construction projects in the city.
The team, led by Board's Chairman Joseph Haule, was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication, (in charge of works) Mr. Elius Mwakalinga.
The team is in course of visiting projects in various regions, and it has started the job in Dar es Salaam before proceeding to other regions.
Mr. Haule said application of modern technology was inevitable since the road serves as an outlet for cargoes from the city to upcountry and neighbouring countries.
"Road repairs cost the Government, therefore when the road lasts longer it means the Government will be able to save enough money for other development projects," he noted.
Moreover, it was established that plans are afoot to resolve the long time chronic problem at Jangwani area. The place has in recent years become impassable whenever it rains in the city causing terrible traffic jams in various parts of the city.
Mr. Mwakalinga told reporters that the Government has already deployed experts to conduct prior studies on the construction of over 300-metre-long overpass from Magomeni to Fire area.
He said the Tanroads report will give a clear picture on how to implement the plan.
While at Jangwani flood-prone section, the team witnessed accumulation of sand and garbage that blocked water from flowing through the culverts.
In offering a short-term solution, the team directed the Roads Fund Board to endorse 4bn/- as proposed by the Ministry for clearing and construction of Msimbazi River.
Recently,TANROADS Chief Executive Officer Eng Patrick Mfugale said the agency would relocate the Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (DART) main depot to Ubungo Bus Terminal to pave the way for redesigning the flood-prone Msimbazi valley.
Relocation of the DART depot is also part of the measures to check flood- related effects at the Jangwani section along Morogoro Road.
The notorious Jangwani section has all along been frequently hit by severe floods leading to suspension of transport services, especially the dependable Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), which began its services in 2016.
The DART depot has remained idle after severe floods ravaged the place with muddy mounds filling service bays.