Singida - Babati - Minjingu Road Upgrading Project
Overview
- Reference: P-TZ-DB0-016
- Approval date: 17/09/2007
- Start date: 08/04/2009
- Appraisal Date: 30/06/2007
- Status: OngoingOnGo
- Implementing Agency: GOVERNMENT OF TANZANIA
- Location: CENTRAL TANZANIA
Description
The project is named: Singida - Babati - Minjingu Road Upgrading Project
The project consists of the upgrading of 224 km gravel road, posing varying degrees of access constraints, particularly during wet periods.
The project will be implemented in three(3) lots: "Upgrading of Singida - Katesh road (91.2 km) "Upgrading of Katesh - Babati road (70.3 km) "Upgrading of Babati - Minjingu Road (60.9 km)
Other components of the project include: "Three(3) Consultancy service contracts for construction supervision "Consultancy service for project audit services
The Singida - Babati - Minjingu road constitutes a segment of the East African priority Road Corridor No. 5 running from Addis Ababa in Ethiopia to Tunduma in Zambia border with Tanzania. It passes through the Kenyan border at Moyale in the north and Namanga in the south, via Arusha and Babati and in the connects Dodoma to Iringa, Mbeya and the Zambian border in the South.
Objectives
Project Objective
The project objective is to improve the essential road transport infrastructure in the Central Tanzania in order to reduce road maintenance, vehicle operating cost and travel time between Singida - Babati - Minjingu. In addition the objective is to provide the residents in the project area better access to markets as well as other socio-economic facilities, and improved efficiency and distribution of goods and services. In the wider context, the project is expected to contribute to regional integration by improving the northern and central corridors international routes.
The indicators will be improved transport service and lower transport costs between the towns of Singida - Babati - Minjingu, which may be measured by assessing the road roughness, estimating vehicle operating costs and counting traffic. With the improvement of the other segments of the north and central corridor roads, the benefits accrued to the international traffic will be measured by estimating vehicle operating costs and traffic counts across the border between Kenya and Tanzania.
Rationale
The feasibility study and preliminary engineering design of the road was carried out between 2003 and 2004 and reviewed in March 2006 showed an economic rate of return of 19.2% and Net Present Value of USD 39.1 million at a 12 percent discount rate. Thus the project as designed is economically viable, environmentally sound and technically feasible.
The road wis part of the greater effort by the Governement to complete an arterial network of trunk roads in the country. It will be yet another link towards connection of Tunduma and Addis Ababa through Arusha and Nairobi. The road will connect the Central Corridor in Tanznaia to the Norther Corridor in Kenya. Its main function will be to provide cross country transport service. It will thus promote regional integration and economic co-operation with the neighbouring countries since the road is segment of the north and central corridors.
It will also improve the level of service and efficiency of the road network in Central Tanzania by supporting the effort of the Government in poverty reduction through improvement of the transport infrastructure in rural areas in order to provide all weather access for the supply of farm inputs and evacuation of produce to major market centres.
Agriculture is the predominant activity, accounting for about three-quarters of the active labour force in the project area. About half the land area of the project districts is classified as arable, although barely a quarter is actually cultivated, producing traditional food crop, wheat, oilseeds and other cash crops. In addition, there is extensive cattle raising, wildlife and forest reserves. Rock phosphate mine and sugar factory are the other economic activities along the project road.
The intervention in the road sector by the Bank is in line with the development priorities of the Government of Tanzania and the Banks strategy.
Benefits
The principal beneficiaries will be the people in the project area, long distance operators, regional integration (social and economic aspects), and poverty alleviation.
The project impact will include increased socio-economic activities at the principal towns of Singida, Babati and Minjingu, improved cross border traffic and long distance operators.
Key contacts
KIGGUNDU Lawrence - OITC2
Costs
| Finance source | Amount |
|---|---|
| ADF | UAC 60,000,000 |
| Government | UAC 23,170,000 |
| Total | UAC 83,170,000 |
