BY THE GUARDIAN REPORTER
17th January 2013
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According to a statement availed to The Guardian, the initiative is expected to save the economy billions of shillings lost daily in traffic jams and provide relief to at least 300,000 commuters in the city.
It said the additional money from the bank’s International Development Association (IDA) will bring the total cost of the Second Central Transport Corridor Project (CTCP2) to USD290m.
“Dar es Salaam is growing rapidly”, said Philippe Dongier, World Bank’s Country Director for Tanzania, Uganda and Burundi.
“Traffic jams are a significant problem for the economy. They reduce productivity by wasting the time of road users, they threaten future growth prospects for the city and the country, and they pollute the environment.”
The DRT is implemented by the Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (DART) agency and is aligned to Tanzania’s development strategy which underscores the need for improved transport infrastructure to achieve social and economic objectives, the statement said.
The combined works on the project, including the construction of the road works, bus-passenger terminal buildings, feeder stations, utility power relocation, will provide some 80,000 jobs upon completion in 2015.
The statement said the DART system will be operated by a USD40.9m public private partnership (PPP) arrangement with two private bus operators, one fare collector and a fund manager.
The modern system will provide rapid boarding and dedicated right of way for 148 buses with the capacity of 140 passengers each, providing both normal and express services, it said.
Additionally, another 100 buses with the capacity of 60 passengers each, will transport passengers to the trunk system through feeder stations. The entire 20.9-km road will be provided with tree-shaded bicycle and pedestrian ways on both sides, with an average distance of 500 metres between bus stops.
“We are happy with the momentum of implementation of the DART infrastructure as all works contracts have been awarded and the construction is proceeding,” said Yonas Mchomvu, the World Bank’s Transport Specialist in Tanzania.
DART in collaboration with the Surface and Marine Transport Authority (Sumatra) and the Daladala Owners Association (DARCOBOA) are currently mobilising local transport operators to form companies that would take part in the bidding for the DART bus operation through joint venture pacts and/or operation contracts with experienced international operators.
Further, preferential access to shares in the DART bus operation will be given to the 1,800 daladalas (commuter mini-buses) expected to be displaced when the project takes off.
President Jakaya Kikwete inaugurated the DART project in September last year, whereby he said that upon completion more than 180 rapid buses would be introduced, thus reducing pressure at Ubungo where currently more than 300 buses serve commuters.
The city railway introduced in October last year has also been complementary to the commuter bus system in the city.
Thanking the bank for financing the project, he said the government will never dare to play with the opportunities funded by financial institutions.
Tanroads acting chief executive Patrick Mfugale said the 20.9-kms rapid highway will run from Kimara through Magomeni to Kivukoni and Morocco to Magomeni and finally from Fire Station to Kariakoo.
He said construction of the Highway will be of concrete and will be seven metres wide.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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