Works on four major roads to start

Apr 06, 2013

Despite not being able to start any major projects in the first quarter of 2013, the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) is confident that six major road works will start this year.

By BILLY RWOTHUNGEYO

Despite not being able to start any major projects in the first quarter of 2013, the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) is confi dent that six major road works will start this year.

The authority hopes works on the Moroto-Nakapiripirit roads will commence next month after the award of the contract. Works on Atiak-Nimule road (35km) are expected to commence in June.

Fort Portal-Kamwenge (65km) and Kigumba-Masindi-Hoima-Bulima- Kabwoya (135km) will commence later this year.

As far as bridges are concerned, UNRA says works on Nyamugasane bridge in Kasese district, Alla and Enyao bridges in Pakwach, Nyacara, Goli and Nyagak bridges in Nebbi, Mitaano bridge and Ntungwe in Kanungu and Birara bridge will commence later this year.

In October, works on the second Nile bridge will start.

The bridge will stand 80m high and 525m long with dual lanes and will be erected a few metres from the old one. It will measure 1.1km of dual carriage and have three junctions.

Dan Alinange, UNRA’s head of corporate communications, says headway is being made on the 152km Tororo-Mbale-Soroti road which has attracted a lot of criticism over the slow paced progress of works.

Last year, the Government attributed the delay to floods in the region, increase in the scope of work and design review of the project.

The project, which started in November 2010 and should have been completed in May 2012, will cost the Government to more costs since the scope of work for the project has increased.

“We have faced a number of challenges on this contract but we believe we have now turned the corner and the contractor is progressing well. To eliminate the dust in Mbale and Tororo towns, the contractor has been instructed to open new fronts to work on these urban areas,” he said.

Alinange added: “We expect to complete the Tororo-Mbale section by the end of this year. The Mbale- Soroti section will also be completed by June 2014. Tororo-Mbale-Soroti road is also under design for future expansion to the level of Jinja-Bugiri or Kampala-Masaka roads.”

UNRA’s update for the third quarter of the Financial Year 2012/13 indicates that 15km out of 49km of the Tororo-Mbale section of the Tororo-Mbale-Soroti road were tarmacked.

The update also indicates that 18km out of 57km of Jinja-Kamuli road were also completed in this period. On Kawempe-Kafu road (166km) over 105km have been completed. On Bugiri-Malaba/Busia (82km) 45km out of the 82km have been completed.

By the end of this calendar year, UNRA hopes that works on Tororo -Mbale road (49km), Kampala- Masaka (51km), Kawempe-Kafu (166km) and Bugiri-Malaba/Busia (82km) will be complete.

 

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