admina world class urban centre.
The committee members have been drawn from the ministries of finance, public works, transport communication and infrastructure development, local government, rural and urban development, regional integration and international co-operation and Zimra. The committee is chaired by the finance ministry, while the project would be carried out on a private-public-partnership with other investors.
Zimra director of infrastructure, information communication and technology development, Mr Tjiyapo Velempini recently, told a stakeholders meeting that work would begin in the next two months.
“Consultations have been completed between all concerned stakeholders and we hope work will start in the next two months.
“Every stakeholder had the opportunity to come forward with their expectations on the new dispensation and we are happy that the process was done smoothly.
“Currently, we have started mobilising resources to the site and the contractor is already working on preliminary works on site.
“This new project will improve efficiency and reduce congestion at the border post. We want to ensure that there is a smooth flow of human, vehicular traffic and cargo through the border post.”
He said the stakeholders had agreed that traffic would be separated into three main categories including commercial trucks, buses and small trucks, private cars and pedestrians.
“There have been numerous reports of congestion and slow movement of cargo at this border, which is one of the busiest in Sub-Saharan Africa and hence Government has stepped in to address the situation,” he said.
Mr Velempini implored the implementing agents to work as a unity so as to complete the project within the specified period.
The border post re-organisation and upgrading started in 2001 but implementation had been very low due to shortages of resources.
Some of the projects include the establishment of green and red routes zones that separate those without and with anything to declare.
The project would see the upgrading of the current ablution facilities, the construction of a new commercial trucks’ route, which is almost complete, a commercial clearing point and the installations of more tower lights and street lights.
Online Reporter