State ends Dar-Morogoro compensation for SGR project
A process to compensate residents supposed to relocate to pave the way for the construction of Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro ends today. It involves 3,889 residents.
The government has set aside 78bn/- for the compensation, which, according to Project Manager Machibya Masanja, the money has been disbursed and now they are finalising issuance of cheques to the affected people.
Meanwhile, the government has expressed satisfaction with the ongoing construction of the project, saying the work done matches the value for money.
After inspecting the project yesterday, Deputy Minister for Finance and Planning Dr Ashatu Kijaji said the government would ensure the projects implemented using development funds were up to standard.
“We have already disbursed 2tri/- for this project and as we are going to a new budget for 2019/20. We should check if the money we have released has been well spent. That is why I am here,” said Dr Kijaji, when inspecting the project from Dar es Salaam to Soga in Coast Region.
She said the compensation exercise was going well after she witnessed some of the residents queuing along Gulukakwalala Street in Pugu Ward, Dar es Salaam.
Some of the residents, who were waiting for their compensation outside the local government office in Gulukakwalala, said they had welcomed the project and commended President John Magufuli for improving infrastructure.
However, they asked the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development to speed up the process of finding alternative land for them to establish new homes.
But, Dr Kijaji told the residents the government would address challenges arising during the implementation of the project and asked them to cooperate so that the country had better infrastructure.
Speaking on the construction progress from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro, Mr Masanja said 42.8 per cent of the project was complete.
This is the first phase of the construction, which entails laying 300km of track and related infrastructure at $1.2bn (about 2.6tri/-).
He said by the end of this month they would have laid down sleepers and rails covering 10km on the side of Dar es Salaam.