Source: Harare Council seeks $10m to construct 3 bus termini – DailyNews Live
STAFF REPORTER 15 March 2018
HARARE – Harare City Council has decided to construct three modern bus
termini on the outskirts of the city.
According to environmental management committee minutes, the three termini
that will be located at Seke Dieppe Road, Rhodesville area and Golden
Quarry need approximately $10 million.
Council is seeking approval for a supplementary budget to bankroll the
projects.
The idea to build the termini out of the city was exacerbated by the death
of an elderly man at the Fourth Street Bus Terminus. The man was killed by
touts.
“Seke Dieppe bus terminus was allocated at an approximately 10 hectare
open space. A car park and vending area was also accommodated within the
project and the total estimated cost was $4 million.
“The Golden Quarry terminus was approximately six hectares and cost about
$3 million, while the Rhodesville terminus sits on almost six hectares and
would cost nearly $3 million,” read the minutes.
They also state that the acting finance director, Stanley Ndemera would
manage the financial plans to ensure success and continuity of the
projects while the director of works, Zvenyika Chawatama would carry out
engineering designs and supervise the construction works.
Funds would be secured from a loan sourced by the finance director who
would also manage the drawdowns during implementation of the project.
“There was a provisional court order against Rhodesville Bus Terminus site
stopping development progress pending final judgment. Construction would
resume if judgment came in council’s favour,” the minutes said.
Chairperson of the committee Herbert Gomba, however, said Chawatama would
not use funds from Zinara in the termini projects.
Gomba also emphasised that Chawatama would not move contractors working on
the roads to the termini as they should be left to finish road works.
“The termini should be modern, highly-automated, meet world-class
standards and not the old type termini like Mbare. Chawatama should bring
the plans to the committee to enable us to appreciate the type of termini
being constructed,” he said.
Chawatama said the termini would reduce vehicular traffic in the city to
ease movement.
He said the location of the termini in the peripheries of Harare was so
that long distance conventional and commuter buses would not enter the
Central Business District.
“Seke Dieppe Road Terminus would cater for Mutare and Mutoko buses,
Rhodesville would take over functions of the existing Fourth Street and
Charge Office termini while Golden Quarry would be for Bulawayo Road-bound
buses,” Chawatama said.
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