DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- The construction of lot five of Tanzania's standard gauge railway (SGR) by two Chinese companies has achieved major progress by reaching 63.04 percent, Minister of Transport Makame Mbarawa has said.
After inspecting the construction works at Malampaka town in the Simiyu region, Mbarawa said on Friday that significant progress had been made, with embankment works now 89 percent complete and bridges and culverts surpassing 70 percent completion.
The remaining 37 percent of the project was expected to be completed on schedule despite ongoing construction challenges posed by the rainy season, Mbarawa noted.
He added that the government remained committed to ensuring its timely completion, enabling citizens to access modern railway services similar to those already operational in Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, and Dodoma.
Construction of lot five of the SGR from Isaka to Mwanza, covering 249 km of the main railway line with an additional 92-km passing loops, is being undertaken by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and China Railway Construction Corporation Limited.
Masanja Kadogosa, director general of the Tanzania Railways Corporation, acknowledged that heavy rains had caused temporary delays but assured that construction would accelerate by April, following improved logistical arrangements.
Kadogosa said the modern railway was expected to boost transportation efficiency, facilitating the movement of passengers and goods from the Lake Victoria Zone to the port of Dar es Salaam.
Under the guidance and support of the Tanzanian government and the Ministry of Transport, CCECC will focus on value creation and make efforts to contribute to the Belt and Road Initiative as well as to the friendship between China and Tanzania, said Lu Haiqiang, project manager of the lot five construction.
