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Kigamboni transport woes will soon be history - Mahanga
2007-07-23 08:59:12
By Federika Sikale, IJMC
Kigamboni transport woes may turn out to be history following the government decision to purchase new and modern pontoon for the areas.
The purchase of a new pontoon will help avert the chronic transport problem caused by the dilapidated and outmoded vessels.
The Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Development, Dr. Makongoro Mahanga, assured the public last Wednesday that the new, reliable and most effective pontoon —500 tonnes will arrive in the country next May.
The minister made the revelations during the official launch of MV Alina, for Kigamboni Ferry in Dar es Salaam.
`The pantone will solve long-standing transport woes in Kigamboni. It has the capacity to carry passengers and goods three times more than what the two pantones used to carry,` he said.
The minister called for the cooperation between the leaders and the public in the management of transport facilities in the areas.
Mahanga said MV Kigamboni, one of the two pontoons currently operating, will be taken for repairs and that the government would hire a private firm as back up.
World Bank had agreed, in principal, to finance repair work of MV Kigamboni before end of this year.
The government had already issued instructions to the Tanzania Electrical Mechanical and Electronics Services Agency (TEMESA) to cultivate a culture of repairing outmoded and problematic pantones on a regular basis.
The minister, however, appealed to the public members to respect technical advice on the capacity of the vessel to secure their lives and reduce accidents.
Recently, hundreds of residents flooded both sides of Kigamboni because of the absence of one the pantones and the inability of the other vessel to carry many people at a time.
TEMESA Chief Executive, Ferdinand Mishamo said one pontoon was taken for repairs to engines and doors on 30 June 2007, something that fueled the crisis.
`The pantone is now ready after repairs that cost 60m/-,` he said.
The official said the government plans to purchase new engines and keep them for use in case of emergence.
The government bought two engines in 2006 at the cost of 922,950,000 for MV Alina.
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