adminTrust Freddy Herald Correspondent
PUBLIC transporters and haulage truck owners have welcomed the planned construction of a 26km road to bypass the precipitous Christmas Pass and Mutare city centre for through traffic going to Forbes Border Post saying it will reduce congestion and accidents.
This comes after Government announced this week that preparations for the construction the road were now at an advanced stage after an investor was secured for a private-public partnership.
The proposed partnership between the Government and Leengate Private Limited for the Mutare Bypass Road will see the construction of a 26km road by Leengate Private Limited to by-pass the Christmas Pass road to Forbes Border Post relieving congestion on the old road which has become unsafe owing to inadequate carrying capacity and its deteriorating state.
Zimbabwe Union of Drivers and Conductors (ZUDAC) president Mr Fradreck Maguramhinga said Christmas Pass had become dangerous and the construction of a bypass would go a long way in curbing future accidents.
“Surely the zone itself had become an accident zone and as a result, there was always need for the construction of a bypass. If a lorry loses breaks , you will find that it will only be stopped by vehicles in the city centre or it ends up stopping against trucks queuing up to cross the Forbes border so we really appreciate because it will reduce accidents,” he said.
Mr Maguramhinga said not only truck drivers are finding it difficult to negotiate Christmas Pass, bus drivers are also having challenges.
Zimbabwe Passenger Transporters Organisation ( ZPTO) chairman Dr Sam Nanhanga was equally excited and called on Government to expedite the process saying anything that prevents road accidents was welcome.
“Accidents are not only occurring at Christmas Pass but we welcome this move because it will reduce road accidents particularly in Mutare,” he said.
The latest development has not only excited haulage drivers but passengers as well.
Ms Talic Mushayabasa who was about to board a bus to Mutare at Simon Vengai Muzenda Street bus rank applauded the Government for considering their challenges.
“It will bring a relief to all Mutare residents because we witnessed several fatal accident at Christmas Pass, mainly trucks.
“Unfortunately, whenever an accident occurs, small cars and buses end up being hit by trucks drivers that would have lost control,” she said.
Another Mutare-bound passenger Ms Yvette Shekede said: “This would be a good move because some of the accident that we witness during holidays are just horrible.
“Whenever I see a truck behind our car, I just do a silent prayer because you never know what will happen next.”
The construction of a bypass road, which seeks to divert traffic that passes through Mutare’s central business district to and from Forbes Border Post, is expected to reduce the number of accidents particularly at Christmas Pass.
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development Felix Mhona last Wednesday in Parliament said in the next few days, he would be contacting the appropriate authorities with a proposal for a bypass of the Christmas Pass that would help motorists, particularly those utilising the highway, to overcome their current difficulties.
The bypass road which has been on cards for some years was put on hold in 2020 to pave way for other priority projects but it is set to resume as the Government moves to curb road carnage.
“I want to appraise the august House that in the next week or so, I will be approaching the relevant authorities pertaining to a proposal in place.
“An investor has earmarked that portion where we are going to be diverting traffic so that trucks and lorries will not be using the road that passes through Christmas Pass.
“We have got a 33 kilometre bypass road from Forbes Border Post. I am sure this exercise will alleviate the challenges that are being faced by motorists especially those using the highway.
“I want to ask him to go back to the people of Manicaland, bring them good news that we are going to do a bypass road and the challenges that we are witnessing will be no more,” Minister Mhona said.
The Minister of Transport also said that they were moving countrywide identifying all blackspots and placing danger warning signs.
“As a Ministry, we have put some barricades so that we actually put signage in terms of speed limit where we are notifying motorists so that as they approach those dangerous black spots, they must exercise extreme caution.
“This is the exercise we are doing countrywide, sometime ago, I was also seen plying the Rusape-Nyanga road identifying such black spot,” he said.
Contractors have already been ordered to attend to road sections of highways and residential areas that were damaged by heavy rains in the past four months as citizens’ safety remains a top priority.
Online Reporter