BCC road rehabilitation programme behind schedule

By The Standard and Newsday | Sep. 29, 2021 | 2 Min read

Early this month, the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) said it had disbursed more than $4,7 billion under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP2) to local authorities countrywide, with Bulawayo receiving $72 million.

By NQOBANI NDLOVU

BULAWAYO City Council’s (BCC) road re-gravelling programme is behind schedule by two months due to constant breakdown of its ageing plant machinery, a council report on on-going roadworks in the city has revealed.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa launched the ERRP2 in February.

The BCC engineering services committee progress report said in Bulawayo, roadworks were being hampered by constant breakdown of plant and machinery.

It also stated that the re-gravelling programme was two months behind as there was only one functional grader, which was dedicated to the Emhlangeni 2 servicing project.

“The same grader covered reactive maintenance works, and during the month of July, it was moved to Steelworks road for regrading shoulders, median and to cover localised reconstruction of failed pavement sections. The plan was to do at least 2,5km per ward. Five wards may be completed by the end of the year if the plant situation improves,” the progress report stated.

“The department carried out the re-gravelling of 1 000 metres of the road leading to Richmond dumpsite in preparation of the commissioning of the weighbridge. The road verges along Steelworks Road and Doncaster Road were re-graded in preparation of the overlay works to be carried out as part of the ongoing ERRP2. A total of 1 600 metres of verges were regraded during the month under review.”

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A 2019 road conduction survey by council showed that nearly 80% of the city road network required heavy rehabilitation and reconstruction.

Last year, the council was forced to turn to individuals, community groups and companies for road maintenance work, pleading that they volunteer to rehabilitate roads under an “Adopt-A-Road” concept.

City fathers said such initiative could be carried out through an “Adopt-A-Road” concept, which they argued would save ratepayers millions of dollars.