Vic Falls International Airport expansion project commences

Work on the $150 million rehabilitation and expansion project of the Victoria Falls International Airport has started after earth-moving equipment arrived in the resort town from China recently.

The new equipment includes 34 tipper trucks, two cranes (37 and 40 tonnes respectively), two low-bed trucks, three graders and seven compactors among other essential equipment for the project.

Parliament in August last year ratified a $150 million loan agreement between Zimbabwe and the Export-Import Bank of China for the upgrading and rehabilitation of the airport ahead of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) general assembly.

The project entails the construction of a 4 000-metre runway, a control tower, new terminal building and inside road network, car parks as well as the rehabilitation of the present runway.

Chronicle on Friday last week observed that the Chinese contractors had already moved on site and have cleared land for the new runway and the new terminal building.

Four boreholes have also been drilled to augment water supplies for the project.

While the project is not expected to be complete before the general assembly scheduled for 24 to 29 August, it is projected to leave a legacy for the resort town and its tourism sector.

Addressing journalists after the tour of UNWTO projects in Victoria Falls on Friday Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Communication and Infrastructure Development Mr Sheunesu Munodawafa said the project was expected to be in full swing soon after the arrival of the essential equipment.

"The major equipment required for the rehabilitation and expansion project of the airport has arrived from China and you have seen it. We are working on the project with a Chinese company with a lot of assistance of the Chinese government," said Mr Munodawafa.

"The tipper trucks and an assortment of earth-moving equipment, which you see here are very critical for the project. Already four boreholes have been drilled and are functioning to augment water supplies for the project".

Mr Munodawafa said work on stockpiling of quarry stones for use at the airport was taking shape in Hwange.

"Other trucks and machinery are already in use in Hwange where we are getting the quarry stones from. We understand that the quarry stones are now ready to be transported here. So everything is in order and as Government we are satisfied with the progress on the project," said Mr Munodawafa.

Mr Munodawafa said the current airport terminal building was adequate to handle the delegates expected for the tourism indaba.

He said the airport was handling four planes a day with two BA Comair planes landing within 10 minutes of each other.

"Right now the terminal can accommodate about 600 passengers and that means it can accommodate over 1 000 to 2 000 delegates expected for UNWTO, but we are working on improving it. We are working with the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe to reconfigure it," he said.

Mr Munodawafa said plans were at an advanced stage for the widening of the airport road to town.

"On Monday contractors are expected to commence the widening project of the town- airport road. We are looking at life after the general assembly and works on the rehabilitation of the road network in town is expected to have been completed by April," he said.