Talent Gore
THE 40 roads that are being attended to in Harare are to be operational in three weeks’ time, Transport and Infrastructural development Minister Felix Mhona has said.
Minister Mhona said this during a tour of the roads undergoing rehabilitation in the capital.
He was accompanied by Harare Metropolitan Province Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Charles Tavengwa, and other senior government officials. The rehabilitation works started at the Harare Main Post office and are part of the Harare-Chirundu road rehabilitation project.
Under the project, at least 40 greater roads in and around the city have been lined up for the rehabilitation exercise.
The roads infrastructure, where the ministry shall apply asphaltic concrete overlay includes Samora Machel (Jaggers to Kuwadzana Roundabout), Dieppe Roundabout, Glenara/Samora junction, Glenara/ED Mnangagwa Road, Chiremba (through Braeside), Robert Mugabe/Abdel Gamal Nasser, Josiah Tongogara, Harare Drive roundabout Jaggers, Lomagundi Road (selected sections), Simon Muzenda Street/Robert Mugabe junction to Tongogara Road, and Simon Muzenda Street/Robert Mugabe junction to Tongogara Road.
Minister Mhona said the ongoing works show the commitment by the ministry to deliver meaningful progress towards infrastructural development and ensuring satisfactory road infrastructure.
“The ministry is also embarking on rehabilitating, reconstructing and constructing the country’s roads to promote trafficability.
“We want to produce a modern way of roads as good road infrastructure is one of the key pillars that support economic development and an efficient transportation system is crucial for trade, investment, and connectivity.”
Minister Mhona said most roads fall under the purview of his Ministry but local authorities, like Harare, are in charge of their own roads.
“When you talk of city roads, they are under the purview of the local authorities but for the past 20 years, we have seen that our roads were neglected in cities.
“His Excellency, the President, said we cannot continue watching and we need to move on, others are saying it’s because of SADC (summit) but SADC will come and go, we need good infrastructure when it comes to our roads in cities.
“But, we are here again saying, as we rehabilitate the Harare-Chirundu highway, we are also going to be covering over 40 roads within the Greater Harare area.
“We will descend on Bulawayo, Gweru, just to mention a few and we will also attend to the rural constituencies where we also come from.”