News / National
Remove tollgate: Chitungwiza residents
29 Jun 2018 at 07:56hrs | Views
CHITUNGWIZA residents have urged the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) to relocate the tollgate located at Chanakira village, claiming it was making it expensive for them to travel to Harare.
In a statement yesterday, the residents claimed Zinara had promised to relocate the tollgate between Chitungwiza and Dema Growth Point to a new site, but has not yet done so.
"We urge Zinara to facilitate the relocation of the tollgate that is situated in Chanakira village, making it very unaffordable for residents who commute from Dema Growth Point in Manyame in Seke rural on a daily basis to and from Chitungwiza or to Harare," the Chitungwiza and Manyame Rural Residents' Associations (Camera) said.
"Engagements between residents and other related stakeholders, including Zinara and traditional leaders, have indicated that the tollgate should have been moved to an area near Mabhauwa shopping centre so as not to inconvenience the commuting public mostly from Dema Growth Point and surrounding areas," they said.
They blamed Zinara for the snail's pace in removing the tollgate, saying it was a ploy to siphon commuters of their hard-earned cash in an economy where most of the people are living from hand to mouth.
"Reports from most commuters who are forced to pass through this improperly located tollgate on a daily basis say that during peak periods the tollgate usually experiences huge traffic volumes, thereby delaying motorists. This causes unnecessary traffic congestion which could have been managed if the tollgate was properly located at a strategic place," they said.
The residents' associations urged Zinara to be considerate and remove the problem tollgate.
Zinara operates around 36 tollgates where light vehicles fork out $2, minibuses ($3), while buses, heavy vehicles and haulage trucks pay $4, $5 and $10 respectively to pass through them.
Tollgates contribute 21% of Zinara's revenue.
In a statement yesterday, the residents claimed Zinara had promised to relocate the tollgate between Chitungwiza and Dema Growth Point to a new site, but has not yet done so.
"We urge Zinara to facilitate the relocation of the tollgate that is situated in Chanakira village, making it very unaffordable for residents who commute from Dema Growth Point in Manyame in Seke rural on a daily basis to and from Chitungwiza or to Harare," the Chitungwiza and Manyame Rural Residents' Associations (Camera) said.
"Engagements between residents and other related stakeholders, including Zinara and traditional leaders, have indicated that the tollgate should have been moved to an area near Mabhauwa shopping centre so as not to inconvenience the commuting public mostly from Dema Growth Point and surrounding areas," they said.
They blamed Zinara for the snail's pace in removing the tollgate, saying it was a ploy to siphon commuters of their hard-earned cash in an economy where most of the people are living from hand to mouth.
"Reports from most commuters who are forced to pass through this improperly located tollgate on a daily basis say that during peak periods the tollgate usually experiences huge traffic volumes, thereby delaying motorists. This causes unnecessary traffic congestion which could have been managed if the tollgate was properly located at a strategic place," they said.
The residents' associations urged Zinara to be considerate and remove the problem tollgate.
Zinara operates around 36 tollgates where light vehicles fork out $2, minibuses ($3), while buses, heavy vehicles and haulage trucks pay $4, $5 and $10 respectively to pass through them.
Tollgates contribute 21% of Zinara's revenue.
Source - newsday
