By Sydney Mubaiwa | Masvingo Mirror |
The US$7 million Boterekwa Escarpment Road dualisation project that was supposed to start in June last year is still a pipe dream allegedly because the contracted company has no equipment.
Midlands Provincial Roads Engineer Denis Mupfurira told The Mirror that the 8km-project had not got off the ground because the contracted company, Transit Homes Contractors has not even managed to do the design for the road.
There are now serious considerations by the Ministry to get a new well-resourced contractor.
The Mirror visited the escarpment and the only thing that is at the site is a Ministry of Transport sign post indicating the dualisation project.
“The project has not taken off because the contractor is yet to come up with an acceptable design for dualisation. The contract is now under contract determination and we have sent recommendations to the Ministry so that we get a well- resourced contractor,” he said.
Boterekwa Escarpment is part of an important international gateway but its meandering curves, steep slopes and narrow width have seen countless fatal accidents.
The road has also become too small for traffic volumes that went up tremendously in the last two decades.
Transit Homes Contractors Managing Director Tendai Matimba failed to shed more light as to why they are yet to start the dualisation project.
“There are pressing issues,” he said before hanging up.
The dualisation will see a freeway for traffic moving into Shurugwi Town from Zvishavane and those heading out of Shurugwi will continue to use the current road.
A source who spoke to The Mirror on condition of anonymity has called upon the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) to probe how a company which allegedly doesn’t have equipment ended up getting a multimillion dollar tender.
“We need to know how a company with no equipment and zero resources ended up getting the tender against well-resourced companies,” he added.
Boterekwa Road was constructed decades ago by Italian craftsmen.
The road is a popular route for haulage trucks, buses and light vehicles from Beitbridge Border Post to Chirundu, Zambia, Tanzania and the DRC.
Gvt rejected a Deal that place is dangerous
Zanu pf yashaya Basa here
Corruption
As always
bus rakatarisa pabhucha pakaipaapo wapedza gomo wodonha
😂😂😂😂
To be honest that road is good hayo. Problem is we people speed. Number 2 ine mbiri yema accidents because of the past. I have driven on that pass very carefully at low speed it deserves with no problem. It is only the fact that South African or Zimbabwean bound traffic take it as a bench mark yekubuda MuZim or Kusvika MuZIM and that excites them to a point of losing control of their vehicles Also around that area pane ma kuve e Gukurahundi and their spirits may be talking. Saka lets not blame that road. In our country there are so many places like that. Matsororo on road to Mutambara was one of them. Regina Coeli in Nyanga was one of them. I have been to all those areas with extreme caution with no problem neither did I see anyone stranded.
Maaccident aiitika nguva road iyo isati yava netara but payakazoiswa tara mazuva avakwa Gweru masvingo road njodzi dzakatanga kuita shoma nazvino ngozi dzotove shoma bcz vanhu vave kupajaira