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🇨🇩 DR Congo /Energy & Infrastructure

Mbuji-Mayi begins National Road No. 1 asphalt paving

From Radio Okapi · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Construction has begun on an 8-kilometer asphalt paving project for National Road No. 1 in Mbuji-Mayi, the capital of Kasaï-Oriental.
  • The project, funded by a Sino-Congolese program and executed by CREC-7, aims to improve urban infrastructure and traffic flow.
  • Local residents expressed satisfaction with the long-awaited initiative, which includes modern road standards like traffic lanes, sidewalks, and drainage.

Mbuji-Mayi, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo's Kasaï-Oriental province, is seeing significant progress in its road infrastructure with the official start of asphalt paving on National Road No. 1. The project, spanning approximately 8 kilometers, marks a crucial step in modernizing the city's transportation network, which has long suffered from degraded roads, particularly during the rainy season.

The initiative is part of a broader Sino-Congolese program and is being carried out by the company CREC-7, under the supervision of the Congolese Agency for Major Works (ACGT). The initial phase involved a 200-meter test section, serving as a precursor to the main stretch connecting Petrombu roundabout to the Lubilanji bridge. This new infrastructure is designed to meet modern standards, featuring four 3.5-meter traffic lanes, a 1-meter central separator for safety, 1.5-meter concrete sidewalks, and side drainage systems to manage rainwater effectively.

Local residents have shown considerable enthusiasm for the project, attending the launch in large numbers. The paving of RN1 is viewed as more than just a construction site; it represents a beacon of hope for urban modernization, improved mobility, and economic development in the region. Engineers on site have expressed satisfaction with the work's progress, emphasizing the company's commitment to meeting deadlines amidst strong local support. This project is one of three major undertakings within the Sino-Congolese program, alongside road constructions in Kinshasa and the Kananga–Kalamba Mbuji route.

The work is progressing well, and the company is committed to respecting the deadlines, in a context of strong mobilization.

— Maxime KatontokaMaxime Katontoka, head of the surveillance mission for the ACGT, expressed satisfaction with the progress of the work.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Radio Okapi in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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