News / National
Gweru completes Kudzanayi terminus upgrade
05 Aug 2021 at 06:15hrs | Views
THE new look Kudzanayi Long Distance Bus Terminus in Gweru is now open to the public with only 20 percent occupancy to ensure adherence to Covid-19 prevention regulations. The terminus was closed last year for an upgrade after Gweru City Council partnered with a private contractor, Bentach Resources.
The private contractor, which gave the terminus a major facelift, is administering the facility. Bentach Resources project manager, Mr David Kudakwashe said they have opened the vending stalls to the public but have only accommodated 20 percent to avoid congestion in the terminus.
He said buses and omnibuses are not allowed to use the new state of the art facility until Government lifts the intercity travel bans.
"We have opened the new Kudzanayi Bus Terminus but only at 20 percent capacity for now in line with the Covid 19 regulations.
"We are however, still to open doors for buses for both cross-border and local travel due to the existing ban on intercity travels, once the ban is lifted, the buses would start using the bays," he said.
Mr Kudakwashe said at full throttle, the rank will be able to accommodate 800 vendors and more than 400 buses.
"It's a huge upgrade which was done and we have only done the first phase, when complete, it will be able to accommodate over 800 vendors," he said.
Mr Kudakwashe said a vending stall was going for between $150 to $400 per day while kombis and buses will be paying between $1 500 to $2 000 per day.
"Those vendors dealing in vegetables are paying $300 per day while merchandisers pay $400 per day. Hardwares and mini shops will pay $650 per day while those roasting maize cobs and groundnuts pay $150 per day, all the fees were pegged in consultation with the vendors," he said.
Long distance buses will be paying $1 500 for using the bays while cross border buses will be forking out $2 000 for landing a bay in the terminus.
Meanwhile, the vendors said the new charges were beyond their reach.
"I had a stall here before it was upgraded and what we used to pay was equivalent to $10 per month, now we are supposed to pay daily and the figure amounts to about $12 000 a month which is way high," said a vendor who requested not to be named.
Another vendor, Mrs Lilian Mbetu said she could not get a vending stall after she failed to raise the $7 000 which was required for deposit.
"I have been a vendor at Kudzanayi bus terminus for 13 years but I can't go back there because I can't raise the deposit needed."
The private contractor, which gave the terminus a major facelift, is administering the facility. Bentach Resources project manager, Mr David Kudakwashe said they have opened the vending stalls to the public but have only accommodated 20 percent to avoid congestion in the terminus.
He said buses and omnibuses are not allowed to use the new state of the art facility until Government lifts the intercity travel bans.
"We have opened the new Kudzanayi Bus Terminus but only at 20 percent capacity for now in line with the Covid 19 regulations.
"We are however, still to open doors for buses for both cross-border and local travel due to the existing ban on intercity travels, once the ban is lifted, the buses would start using the bays," he said.
Mr Kudakwashe said at full throttle, the rank will be able to accommodate 800 vendors and more than 400 buses.
"It's a huge upgrade which was done and we have only done the first phase, when complete, it will be able to accommodate over 800 vendors," he said.
"Those vendors dealing in vegetables are paying $300 per day while merchandisers pay $400 per day. Hardwares and mini shops will pay $650 per day while those roasting maize cobs and groundnuts pay $150 per day, all the fees were pegged in consultation with the vendors," he said.
Long distance buses will be paying $1 500 for using the bays while cross border buses will be forking out $2 000 for landing a bay in the terminus.
Meanwhile, the vendors said the new charges were beyond their reach.
"I had a stall here before it was upgraded and what we used to pay was equivalent to $10 per month, now we are supposed to pay daily and the figure amounts to about $12 000 a month which is way high," said a vendor who requested not to be named.
Another vendor, Mrs Lilian Mbetu said she could not get a vending stall after she failed to raise the $7 000 which was required for deposit.
"I have been a vendor at Kudzanayi bus terminus for 13 years but I can't go back there because I can't raise the deposit needed."
Source - chronicle
