Source: Harare-Beitbridge Highway upgrade ends nightmare | The Herald
Innocent Madonko-Deputy Editor
MOTORISTS travelling between Harare and Beitbridge, a busy highway which carries between 1 000 and 5 000 vehicles a day, used to be filled with trepidation at the thought of embarking on the 580km journey which takes one through five provinces of Zimbabwe.
The stretch between Harare-Beatrice-Chivhu-Mvuma and Masvingo was a nightmare for road users, especially those travelling at night as they were not only faced with a badly dilapidated road riddled with huge potholes, but had also to contend with haulage trucks on narrow sections leading to many fatal accidents.
On the Masvingo-Chivi-Ngundu-Rutenga-Beitbridge leg of the journey, stray animals, mainly donkeys and cows, were a deadly hazard.
To say the road had become a death trap is to underplay the carnage recorded over the years.
It had become a national disaster.
Due to its strategic nature as a major arterial link in the Sadc regional road network where it provides landlocked countries like Zambia access to the Indian ocean through the ports of Durban and Richards Bay in South Africa, and the important role it plays in the local economy, the Second Republic prioritised its refurbishment as it had outlived its design life.
The Harare-Beitbridge Road is a critical component of the North-South Corridor, with the 897km Chirundu-Harare-Beitbridge Road forming part of the TransAfrica Highway (10 228km beginning in Cape Town and ending in Cairo).
The Harare-Beitbridge Road is, therefore, an important link taking the TransAfrica Highway to South Africa where it continues as N1 Highway all the way to Pretoria, Johannesburg and Cape Town.
This is important for regional integration and trade. The Second Republic, under the stewardship of President Mnangagwa, has made infrastructure development one of its main pillars in its journey to Upper Middle Income status for all Zimbabweans by 2030.
It has contracted five local companies; Tensor Systems, Masimba Holdings, Fossil Contracting, Exodus & Company and Bitumen World to work on the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Harare-Beitbridge Highway, with each company allocated a slot to complete along the road.
Plans are afoot to immediately begin work on the Harare-Chirundu leg of the programme which will cover 342km and the Harare Ring Road (59km) soon after the Harare-Beitbridge leg is wrapped up, possibly next year.
The Government will also construct toll plazas (eight on the Harare-Beitbridge Highway, six on the Harare-Chirundu road and three on the Harare Ring Road).
In addition, 10km stretches of dual carriage ways will be constructed on approaches to Harare, Chivhu, Masvingo and Beitbridge.
To date, more than 300km of the Harare-Beitbridge road has been opened to traffic with a further 200km earmarked for completion before the end of the year, leaving a mere 80km covering bridges and bypasses.
This should be done first quarter next year going by the pace of current road works.
The road is being rehabilitated, widened and upgraded to international standards and editors from the country’s mainstream media organisations on a tour of the Harare-Beitbridge Highway last week witnessed first-hand, the remarkable workmanship on display at the different sections allocated to the five companies, vindicating Government’s decision to go local.
Beginning at the Mbudzi roundabout in Harare where three companies – Tensor Systems, Fossil Contracting and Masimba Holdings have been contracted to build a new modern interchange under their joint venture firm Tefoma Construction – the editors, who embarked on the tour courtesy of the Zimbabwe National Editors Forum, were briefed on the progress made so far, with five bridges already under construction out of a total of 14 earmarked for the Mbudzi project.
In about two weeks, the Mbudzi roundabout will be closed to traffic completely to allow for work to begin on the main bridge, with those that need access to their properties near the intersection given special stickers to pass through.
A detour road has been constructed and is already being used by traffic and will soon be adorned with traffic lights and related amenities.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Permanent Secretary Engineer Kudzanai Chinyanga, who accompanied the editors and reporters covering the tour, said Government will compensate the owners of 135 residential, industrial and commercial properties built near the Mbudzi roundabout as they will have to be demolished to pave way for the construction of the 14 bridges and bridge-like structures at the interchange.
An assessment is already underway with three valuers, among them one from Public Works and two independent ones, being engaged to carry out the exercise. The media delegation toured some of the bridges which are taking shape, with site engineers briefing them on exactly how the interchange will shape up. From Mbudzi, the party moved to Tensor and Fossil sites on the Harare-Chivhu stretch where workmen were busy using different types of heavy machinery to rehabilitate the road.
Of particular concern to editors was the quality of workmanship on the different sections and how uniformity would be maintained all the way along the highway given the different competencies and resources.
Eng Chinyanga explained that quality would be maintained homogeneously and drew the attention of editors to excavation works being carried out by Fossil on its section where the soil texture is not of good enough quality to construct a road. In this area, the right quality soil is being taken from nearby sites to ensure the road meets international standards.
Eng Chinyanga said this showed the attention to detail and competency of engineers working on site.
In Masvingo, the Government has moved into local road rehabilitation in suburbs of the city under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme following failure by the local authority to maintain the road network.
On the Masvingo-Beitbridge stretch which covers 239km, two companies – Exodus and Bitumen World – are engaged in extensive works, with Exodus site engineer Ginny Muchenje saying the upgrade was going on well and they were now constructing a road-over-rail bridge in the area.
Bitumen World, which covers the last leg of the programme into Beitbridge town has one of the most impressive equipment and has already begun constructing a dual carriageway from the border into the Harare and Bulawayo roads.
Along the way, motorists and villagers expressed appreciation for the rehabilitated sections, saying the road is now wider and open.
Truck driver, Mr Enerst Chivasa said: “The road now matches those in South Africa on the completed sections. When finished, it will ensure we have a smooth ride and avoid accidents”.
Another motorist, Mr Godwin Shenje, from Masvingo, said the Government had done an excellent job and appealed to authorities to expedite the works so that other trunk roads such as the Beitbridge-Bulawayo-Victoria Falls can be attended to.
“We pray that the same spirit that has been exhibited on this road is transferred to other major roads in the country,” he said. “Our local contractors are doing a sterling job. Long may that continue.”
On arrival in Beitbridge on Friday, the editors were also given an opportunity to tour the new border post which is under construction.
Zimborders Consortium, the company undertaking the project, said work was progressing well with Phase 1 and 2 of the project done.
Phase 1 comprising the freight terminal was completed and opened to traffic in October last year, while Phase 2 for the buses was opened recently.
“We hope to commission Phase 3 for private motorists and pedestrians in November this year,” said Zimborders General Manager, Mr Nqobile Ncube.
“Our expectation is that this year in December, all the members of the travelling public should be able to experience a new feel border post which runs on an automated basis and also allows for traffic separation.
“When we have completed this process, all the three sectors are going to be entirely separate and the automated processes are going to reduce the human interface which has been the major complaint in terms of service delivery and efficiencies at our ports of entry.”
Beitbridge Municipality has also benefited immensely from the border post refurbishment, with a new fire station, water reservoir, expansion of sewer station and roads being built in the border town by Zimborders, much to the delight of its residents.
The Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Felix Mhona, who hosted a reception for the editors and the delegation accompanying them that included senior Zimbabwe National Road Administration staff led by chairman Dr George Manyaya, officials from the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services including the director of Media Services Mr George Chisoko, DDF staff, and other Government officials, hailed the role played by the media in highlighting the successes recorded by the Second Republic in infrastructure development.
“At this juncture, let me pause and pay tribute to our colleagues in the media,” he said.
“Not a single day passes without seeing a story on infrastructure development. This is commendable and we are going to urge you to keep up that spirit.
“This media tour dovetails with the Government’s robust communication strategy, which seeks to leave no one and no place behind.”
Newer Post
Fuel prices cut a relief for motorists Older Post
Jari tests positive for banned substance
COMMENTS