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ceremony held. The initial budget allocated to this project in 2014 was 20.0 million and the contract value totals 68.5 million of which 13.5 million has been disbursed. A further amount
of 5.0 million is expected to be disbursed by the end of the year. A further 18.0 million is required to sustain works progress during 2015. The remaining projects were under procurement
stage and works may commence in 2015 and will require 2.0 million while 0.2 million has been allocated for the design of Water Supply in Dato Rua and DatoTolu in 2015.
In summary, the Tasi Mane projects in 2015 require 37.6 million.
4.2.15. Roads Program
The road development strategy aims to support this program and provide good connectivity in terms of transport between districts and various centers of economic activities by ensuring the
existence of roads resistant to weather conditions that ensure the connection to the currently isolated areas and to improve accessibility between rural areas and major cities of the country.
Reliable roads and in good condition is essential to economic growth, social cohesion and national security, where the high priority given by the government to road investment, justifying
the high amounts allocated to road projects in the Fund budget Infrastructure.
Road transportation dominates the supply of facilities for the movement of goods and people in Timor-Leste and recent traffic surveys indicate strong growth in traffic volumes of over 15 for
motorcycles and over 10 for total motorized traffic in recent years. However, the condition of the road network had deteriorated severely over the decade up to 2011 when the Infrastructure
Fund was established leading to slow travel speeds, high transport costs and long travel times. The impact of which has been higher prices of delivered goods and services and constraints on
development, particularly in the regions. The initial IF budget was 49.9 million for the implementation of 55 projects in 2014 and the
budget was increased to 60.2 million. This excludes the additional funding of 26.0 million available from external loans.
In 2015, a budget for roads has been allocated in the amount of 59.8 million including 22.0 million in GoTL counterpart funding for the four loan funded projects plus 62.8 million from
loans for the implementation of 47 projects.
4.2.16. Bridges Program
Good and well-maintained bridges are crucial for ensuring reliable access to markets, education and health services and for sustaining security and social stability. These are fundamental
requirements for economic and social development as recognised by the Government in the Strategic Development Plan. Therefore, the construction of new bridges, rehabilitation of
deteriorated bridges and widening of narrow bridges was justified by high traffic that ranked it as a high priority in the allocation of funds from the Infrastructure Fund.
The IF bridge program commenced in 2011 with seven bridge projects of which two have been completed and all payments settled. Subsequent additions have resulted in a further four new
bridges being completed and by end-2014, nine bridges were under construction or completed but with retention payments outstanding. The budget allocations for bridges over this period
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increased from 5.5 million to 18.7
7
million in 2014 but the latter was reduced to 14.8 million by virements and the deferment of two projects in order to transfer funds from slow progressing
projects to projects requiring additional funds. Execution for the four projects will be completed in 2014 leaving 12 on-going projects requiring
funds in 2015. To fund their progress in 2015, 9.8 million will be required.
4.2.17. Airports Program
