WORKS and Transport Deputy Minister Atupele Mwakibete has directed the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) and the Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC) to complete processes to start construction of railway infrastructure at the Tanga Port for transporting cargo from and to the port.
He issued the order at the end of the week after inspecting the port improvement and expansion project which is now 98.9 per cent complete.
He stated that the railway infrastructure must be completed concurrently with the completion of the 429.1bn/-Tanga Port improvement and expansion project.
"I give TPA three days to review the TRC's prepared proposal, approve it, and then hand it over to the TRC for infrastructure construction implementation. There is no excuse because TPA has already allocated 500m/- in this fiscal year's budget for the construction of railway infrastructure at the port," he asserted.
He noted that transporting goods on railway is very important, particularly transportation of heavy and bulky cargo since it will reduce the use of trucks for heavy goods transportation, the mode of transport that damages roads.
According to the deputy minister, the port's improvement and expansion, which has allowed large ships to anchor at the berth, has increased the port's income and its impact on national income.
He confirmed that five large ships have anchored in the port's new pier, and that revenue collections increased to 8bn/- between January and March this year with 5bn/- collected in March alone.
Mwakibete also directed that the process of acquiring land for the expansion of the port and dry port, including the proposed Usagara dry port, be continued, as well as the construction of the Mwambani area, for which funds have already been allocated.
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Earlier, explaining the process of rehabilitation and development of the railway infrastructure, Railway Engineer, Patience Karumuna said they had already completed the survey and generated a map for the infrastructure, which they handed over to the TPA last Monday, and that they are awaiting a response from the authority.
TPA Headquarters Engineer Hamis Mrutu assured that the authority has organized itself and formed a team that has already begun visiting various regions and abroad to promote the port to attract more stakeholders to use the facility.
Peter Milanzi, Tanga Port Acting Manager urged all stakeholders and port users to use the facility.
He asked stakeholders, including journalists, to publicize the port in order to ensure that the funds invested yield a high return.
He said the port's cargo handling capacity will increase to three million tonnes per year, from the current capacity of 750,000 tonnes.
