Online Reporter
Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
The completed section of Alpes Road in northern Harare has been opened to traffic, marking further progress in the Government’s ongoing drive to modernise the capital’s road network under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme 2 (ERRP2).
The rehabilitation of Alpes Road —stretching about 17km up to Hatcliffe Extension — has been carried out by the Central Mechanical and Equipment Department (CMED).
The first 8km section was reconstructed in September 2023, and the remaining 9km has now been completed.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona presided over the official opening, alongside Harare Metropolitan Province Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Senator Charles Tawengwa, Mbire constituency legislator Cde David Butau who was representing the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport chairperson Tawanda Karikoga, and CMED managing director Engineer Davison Mhaka, among other senior officials.
The upgraded road would not only ease traffic congestion but also improve accessibility for emergency services, enhance local tourism and potentially boost property values in surrounding areas.
Motorists have welcomed the improvements, which follow the Government’s intervention after the City of Harare failed to repair or maintain most of the capital’s road network.
To date, more than 55 roads in Harare have been rehabilitated or reconstructed by Government agencies under ERRP2.
In his address, Minister Mhona said, “As a ministry, we are so excited, like I alluded to earlier on, that it is easier for us on our dashboard, we have got topical and emotional roads.
“And the idea behind rehabilitating to major roads is also to decongest traffic. And if you highlight it, with the issues to do with Borrowdale Road, which was quite problematic in the sense that they had no other option in terms of alternative use.
And this road, Alpes, it actually plays a very pivotal role, where we also have tourist attraction centre and resort areas. We are talking of Wild Geese, we also have Geo Pomona in terms of waste management. So it is going to lessen the burden especially to decongest the Borrowdale Road.”
CMED managing director Eng Mhaka said so far they have done about 15 roads in Harare and Alpes Road was one of them.
“This road stretches from Churchill Road and it goes as far as Glen Forest. It’s 16,9 km and so far, what we have done, in total, its 11,6 km and we are left with 5,3 km which we expect to complete within the next four weeks. This is a very critical road in that we have people from Domboshava, Hatcliffe and other areas who pass through this road to the city centre,” he said.
Eng Mhaka said they had also acquired state-of-the-art equipment to use in rehabilitating roads countrywide.
