Kampala flyover project stalls as equipment and personnel remain stuck in Japan (VIDEO)
Construction works on the Kampala flyover project have stalled as effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to affect transportation of both equipment and personnel from Japan.
President Museveni commissioned the construction of first phase of the shs 224b project in December 2018 with a deadline of 2021.
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The flyover project began with demolitions of many structures around Clock Tower
Construction works were supposed to start from the clock tower, through queen’s way with provision for the walkways. Unfortunately some of the equipment and personnel required for the construction is now locked out in Japan due the measures that were put in place to control the spread of the Coronavirus.
https://youtu.be/FUdYgrZz9cA
Lawrence Pario who is the Project Engineer said that they would now have to wait for when it will be possible to bring in the required equipment for works to continue.
“The equipment has to come with the Japanese who will have to operate them. So if this situation continues, we might have a problem,” Pario said.
Pario said that the project received a minor set back at the start with a lot of boardroom work and consultations, which delayed the actual construction work.
“We were delayed a bit because the contract was signed in March and we commenced in May 2019. Right now we have done only 8% of the works.”
Arthur Mijumbi who is in charge of operations on bridges and structures at the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) said that their focus is now on mapping and structural framing of the site and that they are currently working on the underground subway in Nsambya that connects the surface road from the Clock Tower to Mukwano.
Mijumbi said that the available technical staff is able to proceed to with the mapping but he didn’t rule out the fear that if the restrictions on global movement continue, they might fail to beat the 2021 deadline.
The Kampala flyover project is funded by the Government of Uganda and Government of Japan through their overseas development agency called the Japanese Integration Coporation Agency (JICA) and the first phase will cost $59m (About shs 223.3m).
