Significant progress in roads rehab

Freeman Razemba Senior Reporter

Significant progress continues to be recorded in the rehabilitation of a number of roads in different parts of the country, to ensure trafficability under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme Phase 2 (ERRP2).

Some of the roads have been completed, while more roads have also been lined up for rehabilitation.

Government has also begun the construction of some of the bridges that were damaged by rains in the last few years.

Top priority is the construction of the Harare-Beitbridge Road, which is a critical component of the North-South Corridor, and whose works are ongoing.

The plan is to rehabilitate the entire 897km Chirundu-Harare and Harare-Beitbridge roads, which forms part of the TransAfrica Highway (10 228km beginning in Cape Town and ending in Cairo).

Five local companies; Tensor Systems, Masimba Holdings, Fossil Contracting, Exodus & Company and Bitumen World, were contracted to upgrade the Harare-Beitbridge Highway.

Plans are afoot to immediately begin work on the Harare-Chirundu leg of the programme, which will cover 342km and the Harare Ring Road (59km) soon after the Harare-Beitbridge leg is wrapped up, possibly next year.

Toll plazas will also be constructed on the Harare-Beitbridge Highway, six on the Harare-Chirundu road and three on the Harare Ring Road.

In addition, 10km stretches of dual carriage ways will be constructed on approaches to Harare, Chivhu, Masvingo and Beitbridge.

To date, more than 300km of the Harare-Beitbridge Road have been opened to traffic, with a further 200km earmarked for completion before the end of the year, leaving a mere 80km covering bridges and bypasses.

Exodus & Company site manager Engineer Ginny Muchenje, who are rehabilitating the highway in Chivi and Mwenezi districts yesterday said they anticipated to complete most part of the road by January next year.

“On the rehabilitation of the Harare-Masvingo Road project, the project involves widening and rehabilitation of the road and upgrading it to meet SADC standards,” he said. “We are working on a stretch from kilometre 50 to 164 in Chivi district and Mwenezi district.

“So far we have completed 40km in Chivi district and 16km in Mwenezi district to take us to a total of 56km. And we are anticipating to hit the 60km milestone by the end of September. We are currently working on the fourth 20km stretch in Mwenezi District and we anticipate to complete it by January.”

By last month, surfacing was also done on Kuwadzana Extension road construction, while installation of traffic lights on intersections for the detour routes of Mbudzi Interchange to facilitate the smooth flow of traffic was completed.

On the Harare-Kanyemba Road Construction, the 2km Mahuwe to Mushumbi stretch was completed and opened to traffic.

The 20km of Ngundu-Tanganda Road Rehabilitation in Chiredzi District was also completed.

The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development confirmed on their Twitter handle this week that the Rwenya River Bridge construction was now at an advanced stage.

This bridge connects Mudzi District in Mashonaland East and Nyanga District in Manicaland.

Works to repair Rwenya Bridge damaged by Cyclone Eline in 2013 commenced recently, with the Second Republic determined to end the delays that affected infrastructure repairs and maintenance in the past.

Located about 43km south of Nyamapanda Border Post towards Nyanga, the bridge is a key link between Mashonaland East and Manicaland and its proper repair will ensure decent communication along the Mozambican border. The Rwenya Bridge is along the Nyamapanda-Rwenya Road, popularly known as Bhinya Road, along the border. The Ministry also said works at Tugwi-Mukosi control tower construction were underway.

Tugwi Mukosi Dam is Zimbabwe’s largest inland water body in Masvingo province.

In a statement recently, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona said the Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa was not leaving anyone behind in terms of 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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