Commencement of the Phase Four of the Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit Agency (DART) Project is set for September this year, marking a significant step forward in the city’s transportation infrastructure. Tanzania Road Agency (TANROADS) Project Manager for BRT Projects, Engineer Barakael Mmari, unveiled this information on Tuesday during a joint inspection with experts from DART and TANROADS. The visit aimed to assess the planned project areas before handing them over to the selected contractor.

Phase Four will see the project stretch from Tegeta, traversing Bagamoyo and Ali Hassan Mwinyi roads, all the way to Bibi Titi Road at the city centre. Engineer Mmari emphasized that the primary objective of the visit was to ascertain the readiness of the project sites for implementation and the timeline for the handover to the contractor.

This development comes 46 days after the official contract signing for the construction of the infrastructures for Phase Four of the DART Project. Construction is slated to commence in September, encompassing the construction of BRT roads, terminals, minor and feeder stations, as well as a bus garage.

The DART Phase Four project, spanning from Kivukoni to Boko via Ali Hassan Mwinyi and Bagamoyo Road, covers a distance of 30.1 kilometres. Additionally, the project will include an extension to the Mwenge branch, reaching Ubungo Simu 2000 via Sam Nujoma Road.

The project’s contract was inked last month in the presence of the Deputy Minister for Works and Transport, Mr Godfrey Kasekenya. The government’s ambitious plan to enhance Dar es Salaam’s public transportation system is a key driver behind this initiative.

During the contract signing ceremony, Engineer Mohamed Besta, CEO of TANROADS, outlined the details of the initial phase, which will involve a 13.5-kilometre stretch managed by China Geo-Engineering Corporation. This section will also encompass an expansion of the Selander Bridge. With an estimated value exceeding 174 billion Tanzanian shillings, the construction is projected to conclude within 18 months.

The subsequent segment, managed by China’s Shandong Luqiao Group, will extend from Mwenge to Tegeta. It encompasses the expansion of three key bridges at Mlalakuwa, Kawe, and Tegeta, as well as the creation of 19 bus stations, including five feeder stations.