Egodini terminus upgrade set to start

THE $60 million Egodini terminus upgrade project is set to kick-start this year, amid indications that all challenges that were bedevilling its implementation have been ironed out, Bulawayo City Council (BCC) town clerk, Christopher Dube has said.

In 2015, the BCC awarded South African civil engineering firm, Terracotta, the contract to develop a transport hub and shopping mall at Basch Street Terminus, popularly known as Egodini.

However, after the signing of the agreement in 2016, squabbles over the project began and were stalling its implementation.

Zanu-PF officials, including Bulawayo Provincial Affairs minister Eunice Sandi-Moyo condemned the project, saying there had been lack of transparency in the awarding of the contract.

But BCC mayor, Martin Moyo denied that there was corruption involved in the project.

Dube told NewsDay that the project was still on course and they were expecting Terracotta officials "anytime soon".

"There is something happening on the background (preliminary work). We are expecting them (Terracotta) anytime soon, maybe before the end of this month, but they haven't given us a specific date. The project is still on course and challenges that were there have been ironed out," he said.

The project is on a build, operate and transfer basis and will come at no cost to the council, officials say.

Bulawayo will ultimately own it, once Terracorta has recouped its investment.

The refurbishment will see the terminus handling at least three million travellers each month, according to the BCC.

As part of the redesign of the terminus area, BCC would expand existing roads into the site and create dedicated pedestrian routes to increase traffic access.

The site will include a transport hub located on the Basch Street ground level, retail sections and visitor parking bays.