News / National
Zim's 16 major roads set for rehabilitation
22 Jan 2014 at 17:59hrs | Views
TWENTY-NINE local and international construction companies have expressed interest in rehabilitating 16 major roads in the country.
Last year, Government invited bidders for the rehabilitation of the roads which have outlived their lifespan.Bidding closes on February 22.
Secretary for Transport and Infrastructure Development Mr Munesushe Munodawafa confirmed the development on Tuesday saying the project was part of Government's transport master plan.
"The road project is part of a transport master plan of Zimbabwe. This plan includes these roads for purposes of economic development," he said.
Mr Munodawafa said the project would be run under a build-operate-transfer arrangement.
"As Government we are excited about the interest the project has generated within the region and beyond. To date 29 companies have bought tender documents at $1 000 each for the tender," he said.
Mr Munodawafa said the $1 000 was an administration fee that would cater for meetings with bidders set for January 31. He said interested companies included those from South Africa and China.
The roads to be rehabilitated and dualised include the Harare-Chirundu, Harare-Nyamapanda, Bulawayo-Victoria Falls and Bulawayo-Beitbridge highways. Also to be rehabilitated are Bulawayo-Nkayi, Bulawayo-Tsholotsho, Kwekwe-Nkayi-Lupane and Buchwa-Rutenga-Sango roads.
The Mberengwa-West Nicholson, Karoi-Binga-Dete, Golden Valley-Sanyati-Kuwirirana-Nembudziya, Harare-Bindura and the Murambinda-Birchenough Bridge roads would be widened.
Mr Munodawafa said Birchenough Bridge would be rehabilitated.
He said the winning bidders would be encouraged to partner with the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) for the projects. Mr Munodawafa said the roads would provide access to inaccessible areas and promote investment in agriculture and tourism as well as mining.
"We also believe that constructing and refurbishing these roads is a critical component towards fulfilling the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation," he said.
He said Government was pursuing build-operate-transfer arrangements as Treasury had limited resources. The Transport Ministry was allocated $69 million in the 2014 National Budget proposals.
Zimbabwe needs about $10 billion to rehabilitate its road network.
Government has already started rehabilitating and widening the Plumtree-Mutare Highway, one of the two critical corridors bisecting Zimbabwe. The $206,6 million project should be complete by April this year.
Last year, Government invited bidders for the rehabilitation of the roads which have outlived their lifespan.Bidding closes on February 22.
Secretary for Transport and Infrastructure Development Mr Munesushe Munodawafa confirmed the development on Tuesday saying the project was part of Government's transport master plan.
"The road project is part of a transport master plan of Zimbabwe. This plan includes these roads for purposes of economic development," he said.
Mr Munodawafa said the project would be run under a build-operate-transfer arrangement.
"As Government we are excited about the interest the project has generated within the region and beyond. To date 29 companies have bought tender documents at $1 000 each for the tender," he said.
Mr Munodawafa said the $1 000 was an administration fee that would cater for meetings with bidders set for January 31. He said interested companies included those from South Africa and China.
The Mberengwa-West Nicholson, Karoi-Binga-Dete, Golden Valley-Sanyati-Kuwirirana-Nembudziya, Harare-Bindura and the Murambinda-Birchenough Bridge roads would be widened.
Mr Munodawafa said Birchenough Bridge would be rehabilitated.
He said the winning bidders would be encouraged to partner with the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) for the projects. Mr Munodawafa said the roads would provide access to inaccessible areas and promote investment in agriculture and tourism as well as mining.
"We also believe that constructing and refurbishing these roads is a critical component towards fulfilling the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation," he said.
He said Government was pursuing build-operate-transfer arrangements as Treasury had limited resources. The Transport Ministry was allocated $69 million in the 2014 National Budget proposals.
Zimbabwe needs about $10 billion to rehabilitate its road network.
Government has already started rehabilitating and widening the Plumtree-Mutare Highway, one of the two critical corridors bisecting Zimbabwe. The $206,6 million project should be complete by April this year.
Source - herald
