The government is looking for about 2bn/- for reconstruction of Mara River Bride which links Serengeti to Tarime districts in the Lake Zone Region. Construction of the bridge is significant for development of the tourism sector, which is moving fast in western Serengeti.
TANROADS
The government has already handed out 150m/- to finance a detailed feasibility as part of the preparatory work before construction of the 44.2-metre long kicks off. “The feasibility has been successfully completed at a cost of 150m/-.
At this time the government is looking for funds for construction of the bridge “, Eng. Emmanuel Korosso, the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) Manager for Mara Region Office, said early this week.
Eng. Korosso made the revelation at the Regional Road Board (RRB) meeting which sat in Musoma on Monday. The majority of the Mara RRB members hailed the project and called for fast implementation.
Apart from boosting social and economic development, implementation of the bridge will further help to cut the frequent costs incurred during maintenance of the old bridge which is partly made of timber.
Presently, Mara TANROADS office is responsible for the care of a total of 280 bridges on regional and trunk roads. The office is also taking care of a road network spanning 1,277.49 km of which 104.6 km are within the world famous of Serengeti National Park.
The fourth phase government has pumped nearly 14bn/-, representing 97.9 per cent of funds set aside by the government to improve the road network under TANROADS in Mara during the 2012/13 financial year.
Close to 15bn/– has been set aside for similar work in 2013/14 . The budget has climbed by four per cent compared to the previous financial year, according to Eng. Korosso. The government has sent more billions to improve rural road network (district roads) under the care of district councils and Musoma Municipality in the region during the same period.
By MUGINI JACOB, Tanzania Daily News
