via Govt saddled with $12bn road rehab bill – The Zimbabwean 12.8.2015
The cash-strapped government needs $12 billion to rehabilitate the country’s dilapidated road network that has not been maintained for 15 years, says a senior government official.
A series of fatal accidents over the past few months has been attributed to the poor state of the network. Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development permanent secretary, Munesu Munodawafa, acknowledge the need to rehabilitate roads to curb the carnage but said government was no position to fund this.
“The money collected from our fees (toll, overload, transit, vehicle license) is way less than the $11 billion required to rehabilitate the road network,” he said. $31 million was collected in 2009, $60 million in 2010, $81 million in 2011, $94 million in 2012 and $102 million last year.
The country’s road length measures 85,208 kilometres. The major highways under the Department of Roads constitute 18,341km.
Rural feeder roads under the District Development Fund constitute 26,000km while rural tertiary roads measure 35,000km and 8,500km for urban roads under town councils.
Munodawafa said government had prioritised the rehabilitation of all major highways and main rural roads, at a cost of $300,000 per km for major highways and $100,000 for rural roads. The construction of a new 12 metre-wide tarred road costs between $750,000 to $1,1 million dollars per km.
COMMENTS
Err they could just go out on a competitive tender to find out what it costs as usual. Don’t know how you build in the kickbacks.
Just let the Japanese or the Americans operate and keep all the toll gate fees as long as they fix the roads and we will have beautiful highways all across Zimbabwe by 2018. So simple.
The Australians know how to build and maintain beautiful roads too. A short while ago a street near me developed two potholes– about 30cm diameter. A week later the whole street was resurfaced with new cats eyes as well– magnificent job, and done in quick time. Obviously timely maintenance is the key. The only guys I remember doing road repairs in Bulawayo suburbs were unemployed guys with with spades using any material at hand, filling the holes– then holding their hands out for tips from passing motorists. Needless to say these repairs were short lived– but– they’re trying to earn a crust.