The Parliamentary Committee on Infrastructure has expressed satisfaction with the progress of the Pangani Bridge construction.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Seleman Moshi Kakoso, stated that the work done on the 525-meter-long bridge is significant and urged the Ministry of Works and the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) to ensure the bridge is completed on time to promote investment opportunities in the coastal regions of Tanga and Pwani.
"Ensure the construction speed of the bridge aligns with the road construction so that both are completed and operational at the same time," said Kakoso.
The committee, which is currently inspecting strategic projects in the Tanga region, has also reviewed the progress of the Tanga-Pangani-Bagamoyo 256 km road, which is still under construction.
The Deputy Minister of Works, Eng. Godfrey Kasekenya, reassured the committee that the Tanga-Pangani road, which is 75% complete, will be finished by June this year.
"We are committed to ensuring the first section, Tanga-Pangani, will be completed by June, while the bridge is expected to be finished by December this year," emphasized Deputy Minister Kasekenya.
The Chief Executive Officer of TANROADS, Eng. Mohamed Besta, explained that the construction has been divided into four sections to expedite the process.
These sections include Tanga-Pangani (50 km), the Pangani Bridge (525 meters), a connecting road (25.6 km), the Mkange-Mkwaja-Tungamaa road (95.2 km), and the Mkange-Bagamoyo Makurunge section (73.25 km), whose designs are complete.
The completion of this road will drive economic growth, reduce travel costs and time, improve access to tourism attractions, and provide a shorter connection between the ports of Dar es Salaam, Tanga, and Mombasa.
