The government has finalized an agreement with Bitumen World to begin the reconstruction of the heavily damaged Beitbridge-Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road. This project will be carried out under a Design, Build, Operate, and Transfer (DBOT) contract, allowing the company to recoup its investment through toll fees collected from road users.
During a Cabinet briefing held on Tuesday, October 1, Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services Minister Jenfan Muswere announced that Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister Felix Mhona had presented the project to Cabinet, and construction is set to begin immediately.
“Plans are in place to upgrade, rehabilitate, widen, and dualise certain sections of the Beitbridge-Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road,” Muswere stated, emphasizing that the project will be executed through a Public-Private Partnership with Bitumen World (Pvt) Ltd.
The road rehabilitation is expected to improve the flow of transit traffic, making it the preferred route along the North-South Corridor, which connects Zimbabwe to neighboring countries such as South Africa, Zambia, Botswana, and Namibia.
Additionally, Muswere revealed that financial arrangements have been secured for the reconstruction of other key roads, including the Kwekwe-Nkayi-Lupane Road, Bulawayo-Nkayi Road, and Karoi-Binga Cross Dete Road, all of which are slated to begin immediately.
The Beitbridge-Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road is a critical artery for trade and tourism in the region, and its rehabilitation is seen as vital for economic growth.
Last month, David Jana, the chief director for roads in the transport ministry, explained that regular pothole patching had proven ineffective, largely due to extensive damage from coal trucks and harsh weather conditions. Permanent Secretary Joy Makumbe further confirmed that the road had reached the end of its useful life, necessitating full-scale reconstruction.
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