Second Republic heeds motorists’ pleas
Marytise Vambayi and Kudzaishe Muhamba
THE reconstruction of Seke Road under Government’s Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme Phase 2 (ERRP2) has been extended to Chikwanha Shopping Centre in Chitungwiza to ensure the main highway between the city and town is in good shape.
Initially, the road reconstruction started at Waverley Blankets to Maruta Shopping Centre in Hatfield before the stretch to the north, as far as the intersection with Vitalis Zvinavashe Road at Coke Corner, was included.
The part between Coke Corner and the railway line had been properly constructed as a heavy duty highway years ago and was still in good condition while the highway further south was a suburban road just widened without the proper heavy duty roadbed.
Work is now in progress to extend the upgrade with a proper roadbed to Chikwanha Shopping Centre as the Second Republic listened to calls by Chitungwiza motorists to take the reconstruction as far as Chitungwiza.
Yesterday, there was a collection of state-of the-art road construction machinery and Bitumen Resources workers rebuilding and resurfacing the southern stretch.
The left lane coming from the city centre had been closed with earthmoving machines on site. Motorists were using the other side of the left lane for incoming vehicles, while Bitumen Resources workers were directing motorists.
The subcontractors, Pevimag Contractors, were working on the Jefferson Road and Arlington to Harare Drive from Maruta shopping centre and on nearby Frank Fort Road and Alice Close, to make the roads suitable for the present traffic conditions.
Road construction and reconstruction falls under the infrastructure clusters and roads are regarded as key economic enablers in the attainment of Vision 2030, that of achieving an upper middle income society.
Seke Road, which stretches from Harare Central to Chitungwiza, is a nerve centre of traffic and has been in bad shape for some time, especially the stretch from Coke Corner onwards, which had become a death trap for motorists and commuters.
This was originally a suburban road serving the low density suburb of Hatfield, a few hundred houses, that was extended to the new town of Chitungwiza in the 1970s. The more northerly section, which just needed modest maintenance, had been designed as a major road into the west of the industrial sites.
Bitumen Resources Surfacing said the reconstruction will take two weeks and they will be working on both sides.
Mr Howard Mandigora who is subcontracted for the resurfacing of the stretch said the work had created job opportunities and he just wanted motorists to adhere to the signs and instructions of his team.
“The reconstruction has created employment opportunities for us. We are proud of the work being done and I believe by 2030 Zimbabwe will have world class roads.
“We appeal that Government should also work on widening the roads and building fly overs in areas that mostly have traffic congestion,” he said.
Motorists have applauded the Government for spearheading developmental programmes such as the rehabilitation of Seke Road.
Mr Shingirayi Ncube said the reconstruction of Seke Road will help in reducing accidents on the road.
“This road was becoming infamous for accidents and the reconstruction of the road will make it usable. We hope that more roads especially in the residential areas will be rehabilitated as well,” he said.
The Second Republic under the leadership of President Mnangagwa is committed to working towards infrastructure development and creating employment for local communities.
The Government has so far spent over $1 billion on road rehabilitation, gravelling and drainage structuring as part of the Second Republic’s ERRP2 launched by President Mnangagwa.
The Second Republic believes that modernising national transport infrastructure will spur economic growth and development.
Over 2 000km of roads have been re-gravelled, while 6 627,9km have been graded with 701 drainage structures constructed or repaired and 184 wash-aways reclaimed.
Across the country, 4 491,5km of drains have been opened while 6 141,2km of verges have been cleared with progress continuing to be made on the patching of potholes with a cumulative of 4 794,8km having been attended to.
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