The media tour entered day 2 today, with government officials and journalists assessing the progress of the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road rehabilitation project.
The tour, led by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development Engineer Joy Makumbe, is aimed at evaluating the project’s status and also highlighting its significance for regional trade and tourism.
The project, covering 440km, has seen significant progress, with 19.2km already completed and opened to traffic.
Engineer Panganai Mature explained how they will be conducting their work from Cross Mabale to Cross Dete.
“The road is going to be closed from Cross Mabale to Cross Dete, and a detour will be created to access way for traffic,” he said.
He also mentioned the measures they are taking to protect the wildlife and the surrounding community.
“We are also negotiating with relevant authorities on measures to preserve wildlife since it is around the Hwange game park,” he said.
Some of the authorities include the Hwange National Parks and the National Wildlife Authority.
Most of the contractors mentioned that the region is filled with Kalahari sands, and they tend to store moisture for a long time, citing it as a challenge that affects their timeline.
“Kalahari sands take time to dry, so due to the rains, it then stores water, which drags the whole rehabilitation project as we can not work with wet soils,” mentioned one contractor.
As they are carrying out their projects, they shall be drilling boreholes to ease access to water as the area is a dry region and water is scarce.
Moreover, these boreholes shall also benefit the surrounding community.
Contractors are employing cement stabilization techniques to enhance the road’s durability and load-bearing capacity, ensuring it can withstand heavy traffic and harsh weather.
The rehabilitation project is expected to boost tourism flows to Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls, enable safer coal transportation from Hwange mines, and enhance local and regional commerce.
Five contractors were initially awarded contracts, and three more were added to fast-track completion.
The project aligns with the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) and Vision 2030, aiming to transform the southern corridor into a vibrant economic belt.
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Story by Chiedza Nyabadza