THE massive road rehabilitation programme underway in Harare ahead of the SADC Summit slated for next month will continue after the event with beautification works having started along the completed 6km stretch of the Boulevard Road in Mount Hampden.
Tree planting is currently underway along the Boulevard which stretches from the new Parliament Building to the traffic roundabout on the Harare-Bindura highway.
In addition to road rehabilitation, the Second Republic has also prioritised other infrastructure development works countrywide.
Apart from major highways, the Government is also extending focus to suburban roads.
In an interview on StarFM, Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development chair Knowledge Kaitano said the rehabilitation of roads would continue post the SADC summit.
“The Second Republic is not working on an ad hoc basis; it has a plan – NDS1 – that is crafted to accomplish Vision 2030. Whatever we are seeing here is in accordance with the plan that we have always had as a country.
“SADC Summit or no SADC Summit these plans have always been there, the annual work plans, the three-year or five-year plans have always been there so we are doing things as a country towards that goal,” he said.
Chief director roads in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development Engineer David Jana said the Government was aware of the concerns being raised by citizens in urban centres especially to do with roads in built up areas in the various suburbs, high, medium and low-density.
He said President Mnangagwa, through the promulgation of Statutory Instrument 47 of 2021, declared a state of disaster in all the country’s roads which led to the launch of the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme 2.
“That programme is continuing and some roads have been attended to and road authorities including urban councils and rural district councils who are primarily responsible for roads in these areas will be attending to these roads.
“Through their own budget supervised by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works and through funding they get from Zinara, those works will continue and are expected to continue,” he said.
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development yesterday confirmed the developments.
“Beautification works have commenced with tree planting currently underway on Chairman Mao Boulevard, from the New Parliament Building to the traffic circle on Harare-Bindura Road.
“We are also getting ready to put the finishing touches on Boulevard Road. Wire brushing kerb stones is in progress to create a rough surface for painting, ensuring a durable long-lasting finish. Thank you for your patience and support,” the Ministry said in a statement.
On the Harare-Mazowe Road dualisation, the Ministry said the project is underway, with the Gwebi River Bridge construction in progress.
The road will be dualised with two lanes northbound and two lanes southbound from Nemakonde Road (formerly Lomagundi) to Mvurwi turn-off.
“Progress on the new Parliament building loop road. Surfacing works are currently underway, connecting key roads, which are Chairman Mao Boulevard, Old Mazowe and Parliament access roads.”
Local contractor, Bitumen World, which is on site to construct about 13km of the Old Mazowe Road from Westgate roundabout, is expected to complete all the roads by July 31 this year.
The upgrading of a new single bridge along the Old Mazowe Road to four lanes is also underway, while a temporary bridge is under construction on one of the access roads.
Bitumen Stabilised Materials (BSM) processing is underway on Nemakonde Road, transforming it into a four-lane highway (two westbound, two eastbound) from Harare to Nyabira toll plaza which is about 40km.
On progress on Sam Nujoma Extension, the Ministry said priming and dumping of base material (crusher run) was underway.
Once complete, the road will be transformed into a four-lane highway (two lanes northbound and two lanes southbound) from Sam Nujoma/Nemakonde Road to Mvurwi Road/Harare-Bindura Road.
Recently, a local contractor also finished reworking a 5km stretch of Harare Drive after the Government confirmed that the company had been told its original effort was below the acceptable quality demanded in the contract. The completion of the work on the stretch across northern Mount Pleasant between Sam Nujoma Street Extension and Alpes Road in Vainona was hailed by motorists, who urged the contractor to expedite the marking of the stretch.
The contractor has since finished the premarking works on the road.
Mucheke River Bridge construction is also underway as part of the Harare-Beitbridge Road Rehabilitation and Upgrading Project. There will be a four-lane road through Masvingo CBD (two lanes northbound, two lanes southbound), Bridge located near Chevron Hotel and a bypass road with four lanes (two northbound, two southbound).
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Transport has issued a public notice to motorists about road works that will run from July 10 to July 15, 2024 at the 25km peg along the Harare-Mutare Highway.
“The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development and its Contractor, Exodus and Company (Pvt) Ltd, wishes to advise the motoring public that there will be disruption in traffic flow at the 25km peg along Harare-Mutare Highway from July 15, 2024 to August 10, 2024. This has been necessitated by works to upgrade the Mabvazuva Intersection and installation of traffic lights at the same location.
