Dar es Salaam begins DART terminal

Construction of the Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (DART) bus terminal has begun following the demolition of 53 houses in Gerezani, in the city’s Kariakoo district, to make way for the terminal.

The long-awaited project had been delayed since its scheduled start date in 2008 after a legal case was taken against the government by residents living in the 15-hectare area. Although the 106 resident families were offered compensation at the time by the government, only 34 families accepted payment, with the others opposed.

This led to much confusion, with some residents claiming to have bought the houses from the site’s owners, Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) and Tanzania Railway Limited (TRL), while others said they had recently handed over a year’s rent.

After the courts ruled in favour of the government the area was demolished with immediate effect and work began on the terminal, which will include the DART headquarters and control centre.

In mid-March the government awarded a contract to German firm Straberg for the construction of a road from Kivukoni to Kimara as part of the decongestion project, while five fly-overs are to be built at Tazara, Ubungo, Magomeni, Fire, Kamata and Chang’ombe junctions.

At DART’s launch in August 2010, the country’s president Jakaya Kikwete said the project would be completed in 2025 to deal with the city’s projected half a million vehicles by 2030 – from its current 100,000.