Eastlands will receive a facelift with the repair of 38 roads.
The project is being carried out in conjunction with the Kenya Urban Roads Authority.
The total number of kilometres to be covered under this project is 79.4,Transport executive Mohammed Dagane said.
The ‘Rehabilitation of Eastlands Roads Project Progress Reports’ seen by the Star states that currently contractors are working on Ambira & Sakwa, Manyanja, Kayole Spine and Maasai roads.
Others include Airport North, Utawala, Hamza, Rabai, Nile, Bumbani, Heshima, Utawala, Buruburu Farmers, Lunga Lunga, Juja and Kampala roads. “We are impressed with the work. So far the progress is impressive and I can assure you the results will be tremendous,” Dagane said.
Residents living near Manyanja Road said they are grateful for the new road. “This road was very narrow and filled with potholes which resulted in heavy traffic, especially when it rained,” said Tena resident Peter Munene.
Carpenter Maurice Mutunga said, “We business people are [happy] because the new road has made it possible for customers to reach us easily.”
Work started on August 14 last year after three Chinese companies were awarded the tender. Stecol Corporation was awarded Sh950.6 million, China Roads and Bridges Corporation Sh1 billion and China Wu Yi Company Sh895.6 million.
Work is yet to begin on Huruma, Kasarani-Gitwamba, Ngumba, Mathare North, Korogocho, Baba Dogo, Embakasi Girls, Mathare 4 Access, Cardinal Otunga, Kamunde, Mutindwa, Moi Drive, Soweto-Kayole and Komarock roads.
LOW-QUALITY MATERIALS
Dagane said they are optimistic all 38 roads will be completed by the end of 2018-19.
In an interview, he said most roads in Eastlands were impassable and were built with low-quality materials.
“With the high population of Nairobi coming from the East side, we had to come up with a plan to deliver optimum high-quality roads,” he said.
Early last year Governor Mike Sonko’s administration was put on the spot over the bad roads. Most roads were filled with potholes and flooded when it rained because drainages were blocked.
Garbage was being dumped on roadsides and sewage flowed openly, posing health threats to pedestrians and motorists.
The county and national government formed the Nairobi Regeneration Programme to address the problems. One of the targets of the programme was to have a project to rehabilitate roads in the eastern part of the city.
The national government contributed Sh1.8 billion and Nairobi Sh900 million towards the project.
Dagane said the county has a new policy that requires road contractors to build drainages and walkways.