News / National
Beitbridge-Masvingo highway project begins
20 Nov 2018 at 19:13hrs | Views
Work to widen and upgrade the Beitbridge-Masvingo highway has finally begun in Chivhu with graders and earthmoving equipment now busy carrying out detour works on the first 10 kilometer stretch.
The project had been put on hold for many years, but finally, it has started thanks to the new dispensation which gave a nod for local engineers to be given a chance to widen this important highway.
"We have been here for the past two weeks, we have been employed by the Surveyors Department and as you can see, graders are busy clearing the land, this is detour work, so we are doing the first 10 kilometers," explained one of the surveyors.
The detour works are expected to also start from Harare side next week as the government intensifies the rehabilitation and expansion of the highway.
The Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development, Cde Joel Biggie Matiza said current works are a stop gap measure to curb rampant road carnages, as the government works on bringing in a Chinese investor for the dualisation.
‘'We have engaged a Chinese investor, AFEC for the dualisation project, but as we speak, work is in progress to widen and upgrade the road which is being done local engineers," he said"
The upgrading of this highway, which is expected to take three years, is estimated at to cost $2 billion.
So far, about $150 million has been set aside for the initial stages of the project.
The project had been put on hold for many years, but finally, it has started thanks to the new dispensation which gave a nod for local engineers to be given a chance to widen this important highway.
"We have been here for the past two weeks, we have been employed by the Surveyors Department and as you can see, graders are busy clearing the land, this is detour work, so we are doing the first 10 kilometers," explained one of the surveyors.
The detour works are expected to also start from Harare side next week as the government intensifies the rehabilitation and expansion of the highway.
The Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development, Cde Joel Biggie Matiza said current works are a stop gap measure to curb rampant road carnages, as the government works on bringing in a Chinese investor for the dualisation.
‘'We have engaged a Chinese investor, AFEC for the dualisation project, but as we speak, work is in progress to widen and upgrade the road which is being done local engineers," he said"
The upgrading of this highway, which is expected to take three years, is estimated at to cost $2 billion.
So far, about $150 million has been set aside for the initial stages of the project.
Source - zbc
