The ManicaPost
Ray Bande and Rumbidzayi Zinyuke
For the next three weeks, the 8km stretch of the road linking Chimanimani and Skyline will be closed as Government intensifies road rehabilitation projects in the district.
So far, $236 million has been used in different parts of the district.
Chimanimani’s roads rehabilitation, which was divided into emergency and restoration works, is now almost complete.
Almost all the areas in the district are now accessible.
A year after the tropical cyclone left a trail of destruction in Chimanimani, several contractors have been working on different roads and bridges.
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development Manicaland provincial road engineer, Eng Atherton Zindoga, confirmed the closure of the 8km stretch of the road linking Chimanimani and Skyline.
Motorists will have to use the Runhowani-Peacock detour for them to reach Chimanimani.
“We will close the road as we pave way for final rehabilitation works on that part of the road. Our contractors have been working on the road and they need ample time and space to make the final repairs,” he said.
Eng Zindoga confirmed that the costs of road rehabilitation in the district have now reached $236 million.
“We divided the cost of our intervention into two. Emergency works were carried out soon after the disaster as we sought to access all affected areas.
“That gobbled up $25 million. Then we went further to do the ongoing restoration works. About $211 million has gone into that,” said Eng Zindoga.
“Most of the work is almost complete. GR Goddard has completed some of the major works from Wengezi to Biriiri and some final touches are now being done out on that section.
“Bitumen World has also done well from Charter to Kopa, where rehabilitation work is also almost complete. However, work is yet to start on the Kopa-Jopa 21km road. That will be done by Bitumen World. Labour and material is currently being mobilised.
“Other contractors, the likes of Kuchi, Exodus and Bitcon, are working in areas around Kopa. We have Kuchi on the road from Kopa to Vimba, Exodus on Kopa to Mutsvangwa while Bitcon is working on the Kurwaisimba-Muchadziya road,” he said
