Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) has signed a contract for the construction of the seventh and eighth sections of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project, extending from Uvinza in Tanzania to Musongati in Burundi. The signing ceremony took place at the SGR John Pombe Magufuli station in Dar es Salaam.
The contract was signed by TRC on behalf of the Tanzanian government and the Ministry of Infrastructure representing Burundi. The project will be undertaken by a consortium of Chinese companies, China Railway Engineering Group (CREGC) and China Railway Engineering Design and Consulting Group (CREDC). The contract is valued at USD 2.154 billion, with an implementation period of 72 months, including a 12-month observation phase.
The project involves the construction of a cross-border bridge designed to accommodate both rail and road traffic, spanning one kilometer. Additionally, seven stations and a cargo terminal will be built in Musongati. The design follows the specifications applied to other sections of the SGR under construction in Tanzania.
The railway will be constructed in two segments: the first, covering 180 kilometers between Uvinza and Malagarasi, and the second, spanning 102 kilometers from Malagarasi to Musongati. The estimated cost is EUR 2.1 billion.
This contract follows the December 2022 agreement for the sixth section of the railway from Tabora to Kigoma. TRC is managing the second phase of the SGR project, which consists of four sections, with three now under execution.
Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are conducting feasibility studies for a planned extension from Musongati to Kindu in DRC. The agreement between Tanzania and Burundi for the Uvinza–Musongati railway was initially signed on January 28, 2022, with TRC overseeing contractor procurement and project management on behalf of both governments.
