World Bank gives Tanzania $100 mln for transport project

DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - The World Bank has approved an extra $100 million for Tanzania to finance a public transport project aimed at reducing traffic jams in the country's commercial capital, Dar es Salaam.

The new funding brings the total cost of the bus rapid transit (BRT) system in east Africa's second-biggest economy to $290 million.

"Traffic jams are a significant problem for the economy. They reduce productivity ... threaten future growth prospects for the city and the country, and they pollute the environment," Philippe Dongier, World Bank's country Director for Tanzania, Uganda and Burundi, said in a statement.

Dar es Salaam, with a population of around 3 million, has been choking with traffic jams but the country hopes the transit system will cut travel time by using dedicated lanes.

The lender said the new transport system under construction will replace around 1,800 privately-owned commuter mini buses and create 80,000 jobs.

"The BRT system will be operated by a $40.9 million public private partnership (PPP) arrangement with two private bus operators, one fare collector and a fund manager," said the World Bank.

The 20.9 km network will serve around 300,000 commuters daily.

The nation of 42 million people is among Africa's biggest per capita aid recipients. In its 2012/13 (July-June) budget of 15.12 trillion shillings, Tanzania says it is expecting to receive 3.16 trillion shillings through grants and concessional loans.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/world-bank-gives-tanzania-100-mln-transport-project-095539015--business.html

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