News / National
$3million availed for Bulawayo-Kezi road
30 Mar 2019 at 22:47hrs | Views
THE Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development has started road construction and rehabilitation in most districts in Matabeleland South to improve accessibility.
Last year Treasury availed $18,7 million to fund the surfacing of three major roads in Matabeleland South following concerns over the deplorable state of some of the roads in the province. The Government has begun construction on the Maphisa to Mphoengs Road which had outlived its lifespan and was in desperate need of an upgrade.
Matabeleland South Provincial roads engineer Joseph Makokove expressed satisfaction with the progress made in the rehabilitation of the Kezi-Mphoengs Road.
"Work is progressing well on the Maphisa to Mphoengs Road where we are supposed to work on five kilometres. Contractors are on site and everything is moving according to plan, by end of April we should be done." he said.
Eng Makokove confirmed that the Government was working on other road rehabilitation projects in the province but most of them are yet to start.
"The Government is involved in other road rehabilitation projects such as Gwanda to Maphisa, Guyu to Manama, West Nicholson to Mberengwa, Plumtree to Tsholotsho, Plumtree to Maitengwe most of which are yet to commence," Eng Makokove said.
One of the most anticipated projects is the widening of the stretch from Bulawayo to Kezi which is in desperate need of an upgrade.
"A total of $3 million was allocated to the Bulawayo to Kezi road rehabilitation project but no work has been done yet. Along the road there is a narrow stretch which is the one that we intend to widen and currently is about three metres wide but we intend to make it at least seven metres. Price escalation of fuel has also affected road rehabilitation projects because the scope of the Bulawayo to Kezi project was meant to be eight kilometres but now it will have to be cut down to five kilometres," he said.
The Government economic blueprint, the Transitional Stabilisation Programme recognises that functional public infrastructure remains a key enabler to unlocking economic growth potential, increase competitiveness and productivity, while equipping public services to meet demand. The programme identifies road construction and rehabilitation as one of the priority areas.
Last year Treasury availed $18,7 million to fund the surfacing of three major roads in Matabeleland South following concerns over the deplorable state of some of the roads in the province. The Government has begun construction on the Maphisa to Mphoengs Road which had outlived its lifespan and was in desperate need of an upgrade.
Matabeleland South Provincial roads engineer Joseph Makokove expressed satisfaction with the progress made in the rehabilitation of the Kezi-Mphoengs Road.
"Work is progressing well on the Maphisa to Mphoengs Road where we are supposed to work on five kilometres. Contractors are on site and everything is moving according to plan, by end of April we should be done." he said.
"The Government is involved in other road rehabilitation projects such as Gwanda to Maphisa, Guyu to Manama, West Nicholson to Mberengwa, Plumtree to Tsholotsho, Plumtree to Maitengwe most of which are yet to commence," Eng Makokove said.
One of the most anticipated projects is the widening of the stretch from Bulawayo to Kezi which is in desperate need of an upgrade.
"A total of $3 million was allocated to the Bulawayo to Kezi road rehabilitation project but no work has been done yet. Along the road there is a narrow stretch which is the one that we intend to widen and currently is about three metres wide but we intend to make it at least seven metres. Price escalation of fuel has also affected road rehabilitation projects because the scope of the Bulawayo to Kezi project was meant to be eight kilometres but now it will have to be cut down to five kilometres," he said.
The Government economic blueprint, the Transitional Stabilisation Programme recognises that functional public infrastructure remains a key enabler to unlocking economic growth potential, increase competitiveness and productivity, while equipping public services to meet demand. The programme identifies road construction and rehabilitation as one of the priority areas.
Source - Sunday News
