Harare-Chirundu road project requires $800m

The government is set to go ahead with the signing of a concessionary agreement with financiers of the Harare–Chirundu road dualisation project.

This was revealed by Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo during a meeting with road authorities in Chinhoyi.

Dr Gumbo said the Harare-Chirundu road project is expected to cost about US$800 million, and government initially delayed signing of the agreement as it wanted to know how much of this cost the Japanese would provide in the form of a grant, before committing to any agreement.

Dr Gumbo said the project will be divided into three sections for the purposes of speedy implementation, adding 40 percent of the project will be taken up by locals while the Japanese have expressed interest to finance part of the project from Makuti towards Chirundu.

He also revealed results of the ongoing roads condition survey will be out by February and are expected to help roads authorities have an accurate cost of upgrading of the infrastructure.

Minister Gumbo hinted that local authorities that misappropriate funds from ZINARA risk having the task of roads rehabilitation in their areas of jurisdiction assigned to contractors.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Mashonaland West Cde Faber Chidarikire bemoaned the long periods of production lost due to roads equipment breakdowns which local authorities are not allowed to repair as the equipment was provided by ZINARA.