The Sunday Mail
Lincoln Towindo
Nearly 50 percent of roads damaged by last season’s heavy rains have been repaired under Government’s US$100 million Emergency Road Repair Programme.
Phase 1 commenced on March 13 and ended last week, with previously unnavigable stretches now in a pretty much better condition.
A progress schedule seen by The Sunday Mail shows that repairs on Manicaland’s Stapleford and Honde Valley roads have been completed while work on Chikwizi Bridge and Mutare Bridge along the Mutare-Masvingo highway is 60 percent and 75 percent done, respectively.
Centenary-Gutsa Road (Mashonaland Central) has been repaired and re-gravelling of Old Mazowe Road is at 70 percent.
The Harare-Mukumbura, Mvurwi-Kanyemba and Katarira-Mahuwe roads are still being patched up while Wedza-Mutiweshiri Goneso road is now complete. Bondolfi-Renco causeway rehabilitation (Masvingo) is at 88 percent, pothole patching on the Shurugwi-Mandamabwe Road has begun and Lonely-Motapa Road (Matabeleland North) has been graded. Phase 2 begins immediately, running for six months before extensive rehabilitation and reconstruction follow in the third and final phase.
The Office of the President and Cabinet, ministries of Transport and Infrastructure Development; Local Government, Public Works and National Housing; District Development Fund and Zimbabwe National Road Administration are jointly superintending the programme.
Transport Minister Dr Joram Gumbo told The Sunday Mail last week, “Since the declaration of the state of disaster on our roads in February 2017, Government has been mobilising funds to repair the national road network. “Road authorities (the Department of Roads, District Development Fund, rural district councils and urban councils) have already embarked on the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme.
“Various projects have started in all provinces, and most of the current works are being done in-house. ‘‘Due to the emergency nature of the works at hand, some of the works will be subcontracted to local contractors.” Minister Gumbo said US$14,5 million has since been disbursed. “Of this amount, US$4,6 million has been utilised on emergency road works to date. More projects are expected to start as we approach the end of the rain season.
“The Ministry of Finance and the Zimbabwe National Road Administration will raise a total of US$100 million for the Emergency Road Repair Programme.”
