More land needed to complete works on Northern Bypass

Trucks dig up the quarry in Gayaza for rock and aggregate stones needed for the construction and expansion of Northern By-pass. FILE PHOTO.

Kampala- The ongoing expansion of the Northern Bypass will require more land, Mr Francesco Franca, the managing director of Mota-Engil, Engenharia E Construcao SA, a Portuguese construction company, that won the contract to expand the 21-Kilometre stretch road, has said.

Mr Franca said last week during a spot check on various parts of the road that stretches from Busega, through Gayaza to Bweyogerere, that they will need some more metres of land to do a fine job.

“We need additional land but if it is not given, the road will not be finished,” Mr Franca, said of the project expected to be finished in two years.

Efforts to reach Works minister John Byabagambi, on whether they will avail more land were futile as his known telephone number was unavailable by press time.

Already, the Portuguese company is about to level all the swampy areas and when construction starts in different townships along the road, traffic diversions will be announced.

“We are working with police and people will be informed if we need to block [a section] because this route has heavy traffic,” Mr Franca said, indicating that flyovers will replace roundabouts.

The Shs200b project when completed, is expected to reduce traffic congestion on Jinja road estimated 170,000 passengers per day.

The first phase of the road project started in 2004 and cost Shs13b more than the projected Shs87b.

It also ended in 2009 nearly four years from the intended time of completion, which caused major funders, the European Union to complain.

The second phase will cost Shs183b and the Portuguese contractor has already been procured.