Africa-Press – Tanzania. TANZANIA National Roads Agency (Tanroads) Chief Executive Officer, Eng Patrick Mfugale said on Tuesday that the construction of Kigongo- Busisi Bridge has reached 12 per cent, and that the bridge will be completed in February 2024 as per schedule.
Eng Mfugale said the construction was supposed to be at 17 per cent of construction, but the process slowed down due to the outbreak of Covid-19.
However, he assured the public that everything was in place to ensure implementation of the projects goes as planned. He said the 3.2km bridge is expected to improve both economic and social economic opportunities among wananchi in the area.
Upon completion of the project, the 700bn/- worth bridge will enable wananchi to cross the lake in 4 minutes, contrary to 35 minutes by a ferry.
He added that the bridge will have a capacity to ferry 1,600 vehicles per day. He said they are proposing the bridge to be named after President John Magufuli and requested the Head of State to accept their proposal.
Once completed, the bridge will be the longest in East Africa and the sixth in the African continent. Mwanza Regional Commissioner, John Mongella said he was satisfied with construction progress.
A Kigongo area resident, Mr Paul Shingi commented that already some wananchi are benefitting from the project through renting houses to workers and selling various products, including food to them.
