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Residents want Dulivhadzimo terminus relocated

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BEITBRIDGE residents have clashed with council over its decision to modernise Dulivhadzimo bus terminus whose location they dispute.

BEITBRIDGE residents have clashed with council over its decision to modernise Dulivhadzimo bus terminus whose location they dispute.

BY REX MPHISA

The residents want the terminus relocated to a more spacious area, saying its current position benefited just a few individuals.

It could, however, be a little too late as the local authority has sealed a deal with a contractor expected to start work next week.

In a debate on the residents’ social platform, most said the bus terminus was too small and would be overcrowded.

“Beitbridge receives over 50 buses a day and it’s already over-crowded before the infrastructure is put. What more when they build,” one resident said.

“Why can’t the bus terminus be moved to a larger open space? This proposed one should be suitable for local minibuses to rural areas.”

Another resident said the bus terminus budget was too little to produce anything meaningful.

“That $400 000 is too small an amount to build anything meaningful. The amount is too small and we are not going to get a proper terminus, let’s be realistic,” another resident said.

The Beitbridge Municipality last week a called stakeholders’ meeting to announce the contract with Bulawayo company, Ultra Construction, which won the tender to upgrade Dulivhadzimo bus terminus.

From what was presented, the local authority was convinced that an all-weather paved terminus would be adequately accommodated at the existing place.

“The meeting, chaired by the town clerk, Loud Ramakgapola was seeking views on the temporary location of the terminus while construction, expected to last three, months is ongoing,” a representative of the Vegetables Vendors Association, Derek Makuchete said.

Long-distance buses will pick up passengers from the old bus terminus, according to the meeting also attended by the Southern Eye.

Ramakgapola told the meeting that his municipality was planning to build more bus terminuses according to routes plied by those buses.

“We could have a terminus for buses going to Bulawayo or using routes in that direction and many other terminals as the town develops,” he told the meeting.

Residents also called on the municipality to improve on town planning after some of the most beautiful buildings were concealed beyond public view.

“We have Doves, and Nyaradzo Funeral Parlours with arguably the best designed and beautifully built structures buried deep in residential areas hidden from passing potential investors, what type of planning is that?” a resident asked.

Doves Funeral Parlour, which was designed by a local architect, is perhaps the most beautiful building in Beitbridge to date, while Nyaradzo, where millions of dollars were spent on a block of flats, offices and a decent chapel, is built on a river.

Residents also advised their local authority to have master designs matching certain standards and reject buildings that were unfit even for a rural service centre.

“Look at the shops at Mashavira Centre, who approves such buildings?” mocked some of the residents.