UGANDA, Kampala | Real Muloodi News | Efforts to alleviate traffic congestion in Kampala are underway with the upcoming opening of the Bwaise bus terminal park at the end of August.
The terminal, one of four conceived by the former Kampala City Council, now known as the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), aims to serve as a stop centre for buses and taxis travelling to and from upcountry destinations.
Alongside Bwaise, the other planned terminals include Nateete and Banda.
The Bwaise bus terminal, developed by Kampala Logistics Center (Kalocen) Investments, is situated on over six acres of land in the area between the Northern bypass, Bombo Road, and Mambule Road.
Moses Kyeyune, the relations manager of Kalocen Investments, explained that the terminal will accommodate more than 1,000 vehicles, including taxis and lorries, serving routes such as Bombo Road, Gayaza Road to Kayunga, Zirobwe Road, and the Northern Bypass.
The new terminal will provide designated parking areas for taxis, city buses, lorries, and private vehicles.
Approximately four acres will be allocated to taxis, one and a half acres to city buses, and another acre for other buses.
Currently, Kawempe has several small pieces of land where taxis park along Bombo, Gayaza, and Nabweru roads, as well as in road reserves.
Villey Agaba, a physical planner at KCCA, highlighted that the development of the Bwaise terminal will enhance the operations of taxis in the area and support decongestion efforts within the city.
As preparations for the opening of the transport terminal progress, KCCA plans to engage with the leadership of the Uganda Taxi Operators Federation (UTOF), an umbrella body of taxi operators, to discuss the organisation of stages within the park to avoid conflicts with other parks in the city.
Hamid Mubanda, the head of operations at Kalocen Investments, stated that they have already reached out to the leadership of UTOF and other taxi parks in Bwaise to encourage taxi operators to embrace the new park.
One crucial aspect to be addressed is the fee structure for taxi operators using the park. While no specific amount has been determined, taxi operators currently pay an average daily fee of USh3,500 in private parks across Kampala.
Moses Kyeyune mentioned that the management is still deliberating on the fee structure and intends to collaborate with stakeholders before finalising the charges for vehicles utilising Bwaise Park.
The development of the Bwaise bus terminal has been met with a mix of welcome and scepticism among taxi operators in the area.
John Oleba, the chairman of the Luwero stage at the Bwaise taxi park, expressed his approval of the initiative, believing it will help reduce congestion in the city by preventing taxis along Bombo Road from entering the city centre.
To mitigate the impact of heavy rainfall during Kampala’s rainy seasons, the developer plans to lay the parking area with rocks and murram.
More than a quarter of the land has already been lined, and the construction of shops that will be part of the park’s business area has been completed. By August, the entire park is expected to be covered with murram, allowing for its full operation.
As the Bwaise bus terminal park nears its opening date, hopes are high that it will contribute to easing traffic congestion and improving transportation efficiency in Kampala.
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