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Transporters are loading passengers and cargo from roadsides in Gulu because of the appalling state of the bus park
Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The construction of Gulu modern bus park still hangs in balance after the architectural design was rejected by the Gulu Municipal Development Forum.
The project under Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development –USMID additional funding was to start in July last year.
George Aligec Lapir, the President of Gulu Municipal Development Forum told URN in an interview that the authorities of Gulu contracted COMPO, a Ghanaian firm to come up with an architectural design and bill of quantity before an advert for a contractor be made, but that the architectural design was rejected.
Aligec Lapir said they rejected the design because it only had 70 lockup shops contrary to the 400 lockup shops they suggested to be at the bus park and that the different entrances for the buses were not compatible with the current road designs.
According to Aligec, they advised the firm to make necessary corrections on the architectural design before approval but up to date, they have not yet received any feedback from the firm.
Currently, Gulu main bus park is in appalling state with very old passenger waiting shades, police post, office spaces, toilets and washrooms. The ground has potholes that get filled with water during rainy seasons.
Dickson Oyugi, the chairman of Gulu City Taxi Operators Cooperative Society revealed that because of the appalling state of the bus park, majority of the transporters are loading passengers and cargo from roadsides in Gulu city, something that is causing congestion and risk of accidents.
Balson Onen, the chairman of bus park B sub-ward expressed his concerns on why the construction work of the bus park is taking so long. Onen also faulted the Gulu city authorities for failing to engage the different stakeholders on the project.
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