Harare, (New Ziana) – Construction of the US88 million Mbudzi Interchange is now 77 percent complete and is on target for completion by the end of this year, a Cabinet Minister has said.

Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister, Felix Mhona said this while fielding questions from the media during the weekly post Cabinet media briefing on Tuesday.

The government mooted the Mbudzi Interchange to assist in managing traffic congestion at the intersection of Simon Mazorodze, Chitungwiza and High Glen Roads, which was controlled through a roundabout which became overwhelmed, especially during morning and evening peak periods.

“Two bridges at Amalinda Road and Harare Drive missing link have been completed and opened to traffic, the Masvingo-Glen Norah loop was opened to traffic, 1.6 km Amalinda Road completed and opened to traffic and the 750 metre Harare Drive missing link completed,” said Mhona.

He said completion of the project was conditional on the full compensation to adjacent property owners, a huddle which has been overcome, ensuring that the completion target remains the same, with travellers going for Christmas expected to enjoy the convenience of the interchange.

Only two out of the fiteen bridges that make up the interchange, thirteen on the main interchange and two on Amalinda Road and Harare Drive, remain to be completed, he said.

Mini interchanges will be built at the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation Mbare Studios intersection and at Rothmans and Willowvale Road to help decongest traffic around Harare, while the Simon Mazorodze flyover, which has been reported to be unsound on social media, will be rehabilitated.

“We are going to redo it and also we have two additional interchanges in Masvingo. So basically these will be our five interchanges. As we speak in terms of progress, we opened the Amalinda which is a loop road and we have finished again the Harare Drive missing link. As we move towards the end of the year, you’ll see tremendous progress,” said Mhona.

Elsewhere in a report to Cabinet on progress that his Ministry has made on projects under his purview in terms of the Third 100 Day Cycle, Mhona said repairs and maintenance at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport is expected to be completed before the end of the year, with 98 percent of the work now complete.

New Ziana