The final phase of the much acclaimed Ngong Road dualling project is at 80% complete. This is according to the Kenya Urban Roads Authority who explained that Covid -19 pandemic is among the challenges that slowed down the progress.
“The pandemic has forced the contractor to scale down road construction and reduce the workforce in a bid to adhere to Covid-19 guidelines,” said Kura’s corporate communications manager Stephen Njogu.
Construction which was due for completion in July, also delayed because the contractor, China Qinjian International Group had to relocate electricity, water and sewer lines as well as dealing with Covid-19 containment measures.
Ngong Road project
The three-phase Ngong Road project, which was commissioned in August 2016, is partially funded through a grant by Japan under its Economic Co-operation Programme Project. World Kaihatsu Kogyo Company Ltd., a Japanese firm, undertook works on the project – spanning 2.5 kilometres between the Kenya National Library and Prestige Plaza. The segment was completed in December 2017 at a cost of Sh 1.3bn.
The second phase of the Ngong Road expansion project, also financed by Japan, runs from Prestige Plaza to Dagoreti Corner – a distance of 4 kilometres. The project was completed in April 2019 by the same Japanese contractor at a cost of Sh 2bn.The government then awarded a Sh 2bn tender for phase three of the project to China Qinjian International Group.
The project which is fully funded by Kenya involves expansion of the 9.8-km road from Dagoretti Corner to Karen shopping centre. The motorway is expected to have five footbridges and five lanes, with walkways and cycle tracks on both sides.
Upon completion, the road will greatly boost the government’s efforts to tackle traffic jam to and from Nairobi. It will also have street lights, intelligent traffic signals and walkways for pedestrians.
