Raymond Baguma
14 September 2008
Kampala — THE works minister has ordered the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) to crackdown on heavy trucks that exceed the accepted axle load.
Eng. John Nasasira, said this would control the damaging of newly tarmacked roads.
He cited the recently tarmacked Kapchorwa road, which is getting spoilt because of the trucks that ferry lime to Tororo Cement factory. He said his ministry would install a weigh bridge along the route to check on overloading.
"We recommend an axle load of eight tonnes maximum in front, and 10 tonnes maximum for the rear," Nasasira said.
The minister was on Thursday inspecting the progress of the ongoing repairs and resealing of Busega-Mityana road carried out by Spencon, a road construction firm.
Busega-Mityana road is part of the network that links Mombasa to the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. It also forms part of the Lagos-Mombasa road corridor.
Nasasira said the tarmacking of the stretch would be carried out in two phases. The first phase will start at Busega to Muduuma and the second phase will begin at Muduuma to Mityana town. He added that adding that the people affected by the construction would be compensated.
He said the road network in Uganda would improve following the increased funding to the sector.
This financial year, sh1 trillion has been earmarked for the reconstruction and repair of roads provided this financial year.
Koka Kumar, the regional director of Spencon, said the company had not received payments from the Government, which had compelled them to stop the emergency repairs.
He, however, told the minister that work was on schedule and would be completed by January next year.
The executive director of UNRA, Eng. Peter Ssebanakita, said between $40m and $50m would be spent on the road.
Other roads to be tarmacked include the Fort Portal-Bundibugyo and Mattuga-Semuto-Kapeeka.
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