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Takunda Maodza Manicaland Bureau
Chimanimani is taking shape fast as companies contracted to repair road infrastructure damaged by Cyclone Idai are now on the ground.

These are Bitumen World, J.R Goddard, Masimba Holding, Exodus and Company, Kuchi Construction, Fossil Investments, Rodcroft Engineering, Tensor Systems and Bitumen Construction (Pvt) Ltd.

There were fears that the delay in contracted companies going onto the ground was going to see them failing to beat the rainy season.

Bitumen World is working on the Nyahodi-Rusitu to Jopa Road. The company has made significant progress and on Tuesday this week it opened the Nyahodi Bridge for use by motorists.

The Nyahodi Bridge had its approaches washed away by the cyclone leaving it hanging.

Bitumen World has also tarred a section of the Charter-Machongwe road damaged by Cyclone Idai and is gravelling the Nyahodi-Rusitu road.

“We started working on this section about four weeks ago — realignment — because there was a landslide here and so we had to realign the road. We started tarring the road on Saturday last week.

“We then opened Nyahodi Bridge for use on Tuesday this week. Vehicles are now using the road full time without any obstacles,” said a senior Bitumen World employee.

Elsewhere, Fossils Investments has started working on the Mpanda Bridge along the Tanganda-Chipinge Road.

“We came here a week ago, but we started work two days ago as we were awaiting the arrival of all our machinery,” said an employee.

The company was also awarded a contract to repair the Tanganda Halt Bridge whose approaches were washed away by the  cyclone.

The Herald understands that some traditional leaders in Tanganda want rituals performed at the bridge site before work begins in line with their tradition.

“The people there want some rituals performed before we repair the Tanganda Halt Bridge. This, they say, will enable smooth flow of works,” added another Fossils employee.

J.R Goddard was awarded the Wengezi-Skyline contract and has made serious progress at Umvumvumvu No.4 bridge where it is reclaiming approaches to the bridge washed away by the cyclone.