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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Works on John Babiiha road have finally commenced with the contractor relocating utilities like electricity poles, telephone lines, water pipes and confirming the road design.
The two lane road carries a lot of traffic from and to the city center, Kamwokya, Jinja Road, Mulago and Kololo. It was listed for construction under the World Bank Kampala Institutional and Infrastructure Development Project (KIIDP 2) that commenced in 2015.
However, construction didn’t commence as priority was given to other roads. In May this year, China State Construction Engineering Corporation was contracted to start works on the road alongside two others.
The contractor is currently preparing the area for construction by clearing trees that stand in the areas marked for expansion. Peter Kaujju, the Kampala Capital City Authority Spokesperson says the trees are being cut with the consent from the owners and clearance from the authority.
The road will be 1.5km from Fairway to City Oil Junction. It will have 4 lanes – 2 on each direction, with a middle isle. The road design also includes five traffic signalized junctions, marked lanes, walkways, closed drainage and solar street lights.
The constructor secured an 18 months contract in May at about Shillings 97 billion to construct Acacia/John Babiiha, Kulambiro/Najeera and Nakawa-Ntinda Road. The three roads are the first lot of the 39 roads KCCA earmarked for upgrading this year.
According to KCCA, the road is designed to fit into the road reserve corridor to minimize the impact on properties along Acacia avenue. It is expected that no building or personal land will be affected and that civil works will have minimal impact on a few developments within the road corridor such as paved driveways and vegetation.
The project will bear the cost of restoring gates or drive-ways along the project corridor.
“The day-to-day work of the contractor is supervised by C.Lotti & Associati Societa’ Di Ingegneria SpA. The supervising firm started work in December 2018, mostly working with communities along Acacia to review the design of the road ahead of construction. It is now in charge of overall supervision of road construction” says Agnes Biribonwa, the Communication specialist of the KIIDP 11 project.
Biribonwa says the road will improve movement during peak hours, increased business since it will ease access to businesses, offices or restaurants in the area. KCCA hopes that traffic lights will reduce traffic jam at junctions and that it will provide safer neighborhood with street lights and pedestrian walkways.
Alongside John Babiha road, KCCA through CCCC will be working on Kulambiro/Najeera road and Nakawa-Ntinda Road. Kulambiro/Najeera will be a 5.52km single carriage way road with one lane in each side.
According to KCCA, the road will also have walkways on both sides where possible, solar street lighting, covered drains and signalisation of a Junction on Kisasi road. In Kulabiro, works started last month and are at grading stage.
The 2.82km Nakawa-Ntinda Road will also be expanded to dual carriage way with two lanes in on each side, walkways on both sides, solar Street Lighting, covered drains and signalization of Junction.
According to KCCA, at the time of handover of the roads to the contractor to start the constructions, KCCA says they have fully acquired land from owners in areas where the road expansion would affect individual land.
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