All is set for Mara Region to have its first modern weighbridge (in-motion weighbridge) that will be measuring the weight of vehicles while in movement in the region.
Deputy Minister for Works and Transport, Eng Godfrey Kasekenya made an official tour to inspect construction of the 22-billion-shilling project last Saturday, which is scheduled for completion in May, 2023, and said it would be the largest modern weighbridge in the Lake Zone.
The Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) is implementing the project at Rubana area, a few kilometres from Bunda town in Bunda District, along the Mwanza – Musoma highway.
“The cost of the project is 22.2 billion shillings, and implementation has gone more than half way,” Mara Regional TANROADS Manager Eng Vedustus Maribe said.
Chico, a Chinese construction company, is constructing the weighbridge, according to Eng Maribe.
The government of Tanzania had also coughed more than 480 million shillings to compensate people affected by the project, particularly local farmers.
“We have paid over 400 million shillings as compensation to owners of farms and land in this area of Rubana. We are working freely with no major hitches, as we implement this project in order to achieve the government’s objectives, which include protecting the road network from being damaged by overloaded vehicles,” Eng Maribe said.
The Works and Transport Deputy Minister said, among other things, the weighbridge will have a scanner that will detect any illegal cargo being transported along the road, which connects Tanzania with other East African Countries (EAC).
“As government, we want the work to be completed as planned because so far, there are no challenges facing this project,“ Eng Kasekenya said.
The Deputy Minister also inspected road projects in the neighbouring districts of Serengeti, Tarime and Rorya.
The projects include Nyamwigura – Nyamongo, a 25 km road which is being constructed at the tarmac level in the gold rich district of Tarime at a cost of 34 billion shillings, also funded by the sixth phase government of President Samia Suluhu Hassan.