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    Victoria Falls highway up for rehab

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    Harare, (New Ziana)-The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development on Wednesday said it is seeking an investor to fund the full rehabilitation of the Beitbridge-Bulawayo- Victoria Falls highway which is currently in a very bad state.

    Chief director responsible for roads in the Ministry, Engineer David Jana said frequent pothole patching has not been working.

    “So as you patch the potholes, and then we have the big trucks that are carrying coal, which are moving, the potholes resurface again, especially during the times when it is raining. So the plan that we have, which we are working on now, and almost at an advanced stage now, is for us to get an investor and work at Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) for a full rehabilitation. The road has over lived its usefulness,” he told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructure Development.

    “So what we are doing is, we are not abandoning it, but it really now needs full rehab. So the work, it might look as though we are firefighting, but we are trying as much to attend to potholes that are creating black spots on the road. But we are working now on having a full rehabilitation by way of PPPs,” said Eng Jena.

    He said full rehabilitation of the highway will upgrade it in line with SADC standards incorporating weigh bridges and toll plazas. Permanent secretary for the Ministry, Engineer Joy Makumbe said procurement processes are currently underway for the full rehabilitation of the Victoria Falls Highway.

    “As a ministry this road is also of high priority to us and currently we are in the procurement stage to make sure that we engage a contractor who does the reconstruction of the road. So, with the road we can either do maintenance, that we are looking at pothole patching, or you can do reconstruction.

    “what has been happening on that road has been maintenance, that is porthole patching, but I think you will agree with me that that road is now beyond patching, that is why we have moved now to actually engage a contractor to do the reconstruction,” she told legislators. She, however, said another contractor will begin work to patch potholes on the highway.

    “The road still has to have some level of trafficability, where as a ministry now we have engaged a contractor that has been given that road to patch potholes and also our provincial offices are also patching other sections that have not been given to a contractor,” she said

    New Ziana

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