THE Tanzania National Roads Agency (TanRoads) has been directed to build automated gates in areas where roads intersect with railways to prevent accidents that can be avoided.

Works Deputy Minister Eng. Godfrey Kasekenya made the directives yesterday here when inspecting the construction progress of the Mikumi - Kidatu – Ifakara road section (66.9km) at tarmac level as well as the construction of the Great Ruaha River Bridge.

He said: “This is very important for TanRoads, the railway authority to make sure that all intersections have automated gates that close and open to avoid unnecessary accidents.”

Eng. Kasekenya also directed TanRoads to meet with TAZARA and work on the matter immediately.

“There is a great need to build automated gates where the road intersects the railway because other areas have already started to do so, this will help to close the road or turn on the lights in case the train comes and thus not cause an accident," said Eng. Kasekenya.

He also tasked the Morogoro Regional TanRoads Manager to ensure that he manages the Nigerian contractor—Reynolds who is building the project to strengthen the upper and lower canals to prevent water from going to people's homes and causing harm.

He also suggested the need for TanRoads to design the bridges on the Kidatu - Mikumi road as the existing ones are small and narrow to help vehicles coming from Mikumi to Kidatu to pass without any obstacles.

Kasekenya stated that the project had four bridges as well as the Great Ruaha River Bridge; its construction has now reached 88 percent. 

On the Mikumi - Kidatu – Ifakara road construction, Morogoro regional TanRoads manager Lazeck Kyamba said that it has reached 90 percent, where at tarmac level has been built for 63 kilometres out of66 and the remaining three kilometres are in various stages of implementation.

Engineer of the Reynolds Contractors, Thobias Ngise said that the whole project has now reached 95 percent and insisted on working day and night to complete the remaining five percent within the scheduled time.