News / National
New computerised tollgates construction on major highways begins next month
13 Dec 2011 at 05:38hrs | Views
THE construction of new tollgates on the country's major highways will begin next month as the Government moves to improve efficiency in toll fees collection.
In May this year the Government announced that it would replace the existing tollgate structures with modern, computerised ones as part of the road re-grading exercise.
In an interview on the sidelines of the just-ended Zanu-PF conference in Bulawayo on Saturday, the Minister of Transport, Communications and Infrastructural Development, Nicholas Goche, said his ministry was ready to start work on the project.
Asked about the erection of a tollgate between Bulawayo and Ntabazinduna, Minister Goche said: "We have stopped constructing old tollgate structures because it does not make sense as they will soon be replaced."
On the outstanding road projects in the Matabeleland region, Minister Goche said inadequate funding had hampered progress.
He blamed the Ministry of Finance for failing to finance the completion of capital projects such as the construction of the long-awaited Bulawayo-Nkayi Road.
"The problem is that we have not been receiving enough money from Treasury to undertake these projects. What we are getting from Zinara (Zimbabwe National Road Administration) is also not sufficient," said Minister Goche.
He could not be drawn into revealing how much was needed for the road and tollgate projects, saying he was yet to meet his ministry officials to ascertain the figures.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Infrastructural Development, Mr Partson Mbiriri is on record as saying existing tollgates were erected on a temporary basis to protect workers collecting the toll fees from the vagaries of the weather.
Mr Mbiriri said the existing tollgate structures were not up to standard when compared to those found in other countries.
The upgrading exercise is expected to cover the whole highway network in the country from Mutare to Plumtree, Chirundu to Beitbridge.
Mr Mbiriri also said the project will take a number of years to be completed.
The new tollgate management system will be able to detect vehicles fitted with electronic discs that will be read by a scanner at all sites in a bid to improve efficiency and minimise fraud.
Last year, the Government was prejudiced of $1,7 million in a scam that led to the arrest of two Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) officials who had allegedly stolen tollgate ticket books and were pocketing payments by motorists.
Road tolls were introduced on the country's major highways in August 2009 as a way to mobilise funds for road maintenance and rehabilitation.
Zimra was given the task of collecting the toll fees at the designated tolling points countrywide.
Before the erection of the tollgate shelters, workers could not collect fees when it was raining.
This meant that some vehicles passed through the unmanned sites without paying fees.
In May this year the Government announced that it would replace the existing tollgate structures with modern, computerised ones as part of the road re-grading exercise.
In an interview on the sidelines of the just-ended Zanu-PF conference in Bulawayo on Saturday, the Minister of Transport, Communications and Infrastructural Development, Nicholas Goche, said his ministry was ready to start work on the project.
Asked about the erection of a tollgate between Bulawayo and Ntabazinduna, Minister Goche said: "We have stopped constructing old tollgate structures because it does not make sense as they will soon be replaced."
On the outstanding road projects in the Matabeleland region, Minister Goche said inadequate funding had hampered progress.
He blamed the Ministry of Finance for failing to finance the completion of capital projects such as the construction of the long-awaited Bulawayo-Nkayi Road.
"The problem is that we have not been receiving enough money from Treasury to undertake these projects. What we are getting from Zinara (Zimbabwe National Road Administration) is also not sufficient," said Minister Goche.
He could not be drawn into revealing how much was needed for the road and tollgate projects, saying he was yet to meet his ministry officials to ascertain the figures.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Infrastructural Development, Mr Partson Mbiriri is on record as saying existing tollgates were erected on a temporary basis to protect workers collecting the toll fees from the vagaries of the weather.
Mr Mbiriri said the existing tollgate structures were not up to standard when compared to those found in other countries.
The upgrading exercise is expected to cover the whole highway network in the country from Mutare to Plumtree, Chirundu to Beitbridge.
Mr Mbiriri also said the project will take a number of years to be completed.
The new tollgate management system will be able to detect vehicles fitted with electronic discs that will be read by a scanner at all sites in a bid to improve efficiency and minimise fraud.
Last year, the Government was prejudiced of $1,7 million in a scam that led to the arrest of two Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) officials who had allegedly stolen tollgate ticket books and were pocketing payments by motorists.
Road tolls were introduced on the country's major highways in August 2009 as a way to mobilise funds for road maintenance and rehabilitation.
Zimra was given the task of collecting the toll fees at the designated tolling points countrywide.
Before the erection of the tollgate shelters, workers could not collect fees when it was raining.
This meant that some vehicles passed through the unmanned sites without paying fees.
Source - TC
