Suburban
AT least five roads in Highlands suburb are expected to be repaired using the RTGS$958 million allocation the City of Harare got from the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) for roads rehabilitation.
Diana Nherera Suburban Reporter
City of Harare’s roads superintendent in charge of the low density suburbs Engineer Travern Mutasa said the programme will involve overlays, paving pavements, renovating car parks at shopping centres and reconstruction of some roads and storm water drains.
He was speaking at a service delivery meeting for wards in Harare East held at Greendale Sports Club recently. Residents and city officials attended the meeting.
Roads expected to be repaired include Grosvenor Road, Sloane Road, Lavender Road and Glen Cova Road. Companies had already been identified to repair some of the roads but the contracts were cancelled as they did not meet the requirements. Rebidding is now underway to get new contractors.
Eng Mutasa said Glen Roy shopping centre will have overlays done.
“We are going to do overlays, pavements, extension and car parks this year.
“In Grosvenor Road, we are going to do some reconstruction and (fix) storm water drains.
“On Sloane Road, we are going to do reconstruction and storm water drains.
“Lavender Road, we are going to do reconstruction and storm water drains,” he said.
Eng Mutasa said they will also repair Glen Cova Road.
He said the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development has already repaired Shortheath Road (in Chisipite) and 40 percent of Kent Road in Highlands.
“We are still progressing on that road,” said Eng Mutasa.
He said the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development has also done Pevensey Road in Highlands.
Eng Mutasa said repairs on Knightsbridge Road and Glen Garry Road are in progress and involve road construction and storm water drains.
He said council cancelled contracts for companies that were supposed to repair Glen Cova, Grosvenor and Lavender roads as they failed to meet their requirements.
“Glen Cova, Grosvenor and Lavender Roads contractors were appointed.
“We went for bidding and we did evaluation for those roads but the contractors did not meet the requirements we needed from them so we cancelled their contracts.
“So council is starting the bidding again for the three roads in order to appoint other contractors,” said Eng Mutasa.
He said the city is facing challenges with road contractors who prefer to be paid in United States dollars.
“The unfortunate thing about the contractors is they are not happy to work with the City of Harare.
“We are paying RTGS. No one wants the RTGS because they say the materials they need are bought in United States dollars,” said Eng Mutasa.
He said they will repair nine out of the 10 roads they are expected to work on from this year’s Zinara allocation.
“Then the other money we are going to take it from the road routine maintenance i.e. pothole patching, drain cleaning, road marking and signage,” said Eng Mutasa.
He urged residents to approach him if their roads are not passable.
“If you have your road that is no longer passable I can suggest putting gravel in order to make it passable for the meantime until we get enough money for pothole patching,” said Eng Mutasa.
He said in Ward 46, a contractor is on site and repairing Manresa Way.
Residents blamed bulk water suppliers saying their trucks were damaging the roads. “Those water trucks are so heavy.
“They are breaking the roads.
“One truck was so heavily loaded that the tyres exploded and one of the residents phoned the police because they thought it was a gun,” said one resident.
In Mandara, residents said Pringle Road was in urgent need of repairs as the road was last rehabilitated a decade ago.
“You repaired Arcturus Road.
“For the past 10 years I have been there, you came and did the potholes and left certain areas in Pringle.
“There was a time that we came to your office in Greendale.
“We tried to negotiate as a community to work with you and put in put our own money but you did not come back to us,” said the resident from Pringle Road.
Another Mandara resident also blamed heavy trucks for damaging Pringle Road.
“Of late I have noticed abnormal load trucks.
“I think they have a workshop off Dudley Road.
“They use that road every day.
“Maybe there are over 10 trucks from Pringle Road into Dudley Road.
“Who approves such things?” he said.
Greendale residents bemoaned the potholes along Wilson Road in Athlone and a dangerous ditch along Mutare Road.
The Greendale residents urged council to repair intersections such as Kipling Road and Knowetop Drive as they were left behind when Arcturus Road was repaired few years ago.
“We can’t now get onto the major roads,” said a Greendale resident.
Eng Mutasa said Mutare Road is under the Ministry of Transport like all roads that go out of town such as Simon Mazorodze and Nemakonde (formerly Lomagundi Road).
“But we are going to do something to make sure the road is passable,” he said.
The ditch has since been patched and residents confirmed on Wednesday that it had been fixed.
Harare Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume urged residents to list the roads they want prioritised so they can take the list to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development for prioritisation.
