CONSTRUCTION of lot five of the standard gauge railway (SGR) by two Chinese companies has reached 63.04 percent, Transport Minister Prof Makame Mbarawa has said.

After inspecting the construction works at Malampaka town in   Simiyu Region at the weekend, Mbarawa said that significant progress had been made, with embankment works at 89 percent and bridges and culverts surpassing 70 percent.

The remaining 37 percent of the project was expected to be completed on schedule despite ongoing construction challenges posed by the rainy season, Mbarawa noted.

He added that the government remained committed to ensuring its timely completion, enabling citizens to access modern railway services similar to those already operational in Dar es Salaam, Morogoro and Dodoma.

Construction of lot five of the SGR from Isaka to Mwanza, covering 249 km of the main railway line with an additional 92-km passing loops, is being undertaken by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and China Railway Construction Corporation Limited.

Masanja Kadogosa, director general of the Tanzania Railways Corporation, acknowledged that heavy rains had caused temporary delays but assured that construction would accelerate by April, following improved logistical arrangements.

Kadogosa said the modern railway is expected to boost transportation efficiency, facilitating movement of passengers and goods from the Lake Zone to the port of Dar es Salaam.

Under the guidance and support of the government and the Ministry of Transport, CCECC will focus on value creation and make efforts to contribute to the Belt and Road Initiative as well as friendship between China and Tanzania, said Lu Haiqiang, project manager of lot five construction project.