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Abigail Mawonde Herald Correspondent
GOVERNMENT has initiated processes for the dualisation of the Harare –Beitbridge Road with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development yesterday inviting interested engineering firms to submit their bids.

Terms of reference for the project include provision of the preliminary and detailed engineering design of Harare – Masvingo – Beitbridge dualisation which has been segmented into four sections.

They are Harare to Chivhu (120 km), Chivhu to Masvingo (147 km), Masvingo to Rutenga (149 km) and Rutenga to Beitbridge (135km).

“The Department of Roads now invites eligible consultants to indicate their interest in providing the above services.

“Interested consultants must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services by indicating similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among staff using standard forms provided in the Pre-qualification document.

“Consultants could constitute joint-ventures to enhance their chances of qualification.”

The services under the project include a full preliminary design for the dualisation of the road (including all bridges and drainage structures), covering technical, economic, environmental and social issues in order to provide the Department of Roads with sufficient information for decision making on the preferred alignment and proposed dualisation of the road; and preparation of the detailed engineering designs, drawings, cost estimates for the dualisation (including bridges and drainage structures) of the regional trunk road.

Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Obert Mpofu was quoted earlier this year saying plans to implement the project were now at an advanced stage after Government took over leading of the project from Zim Highways Consortium (a grouping of local firms) that had failed to raise the required capital.

Zim Highways Consortium had been awarded the tender in 2002.

The highway has outlived its design life.

It was designed to last 20 years but has been in use for over 55 years.

The highway has recorded a lot of accidents due to the huge volumes of traffic, and dualisation has been identified as a long term solution to the problem.

Zim-Asset, among other priorities, singles out dualisation of the Beitbriddge-Harare-Chirundu highway as one of the major projects that must be undertaken to facilitate economic development.