HARARE The nations dilapidated and potholed road network desperately needs a staggering $1,7 billion for upgrading and dualisation, according to a cabinet document seen by The Zimbabwean.
Prepared by the Ministry of Finance, the document refers to a $500 million refurbishment of the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge Road. This amount will be used to upgrade the first 30 km of the road to a six-lane carriageway and the rest into carriageways of two lanes each. A total of 570 km will be covered under this project.
The ministry says the nation needs $190 million for the Harare-Mutare Road. Under this project government would upgrade the 265 km of road into separate two lane carriageways. Nearly $3 million will be required to upgrade the Harare-Gweru-Bulawayo Road. In this project there would be an upgrade of the existing road from 11 km – 45 km peg to six lanes and remaining 244 km into two separate lane carriageways.
An additional 164 km would be constructed from Gweru to Bulawayo. Government needs $225,8 million for the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road including the rehabilitation of 321 km of pot-holed raods. Government also needs $307,3 million to rehabilitate the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road, a project that has been on the cards for quite some time now. The Victoria Falls is the country’s most popular tourist destination and besides air travel visitors use roads resulting in them being badly damaged especially during the rainy season.
Post published in: Economy