The project will receive funds from the $69, 292 million allocated the to ministry of transport in the 2013 national budget. Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Morgan Komichi, told The Zimbabwean that upgrading the road network would help attract foreign investment.
“Prioritising the road project makes a lot of sense, since a good road network is part of both tourist and investor attraction. Good roads also help fight avoidable accidents on the country’s highways,” said Komichi.
Currently, highways such as the Harare-Bulawayo, Harare-Mutare and Harare-Masvingo roads are undergoing dualisation, however, there are concerns that the process is moving a snail’s pace. The slow speed has been blamed on lack of funding, with estimates that it cost $1 million to complete work on a single kilometre.
Work on the Harare-Masvingo road has covered some 20km and dualisation of the Harare-Norton road is almost complete, with the construction of a bridge on the Manyame River ongoing.
Komichi said the upgrades would also cover rural areas.
“Out of the targeted nine kilometres on the Bindura-Shamva Road, one kilometre has been upgraded. Three and half kilometres of the Wedza-Sadza Road have already received a face lift under the project.”
The Golden Valley to Sanyati Road, Empress Road, Kuwirirana-Nembudziya Road, Karoi-Binga Road, Ngundu-Tanganda Road and Nyazura-Dorowa Road will be allocated funds for upgrade from the budget money.
To ensure all roads received a fair share of the money set aside for upgrading, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure allocated provincial road funding to respective authorities. The funding will be put towards road maintenance across the provinces.
Komichi added that government contracted private companies to rebuild bridges such as Runde and Tuli, which were destroyed by Cyclone Eline.
Progress on the projects will depend on the availability of funds.
Post published in: News