Chronicle Editor
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
BEITBRIDGE Rural District Council (BBRDC) says it needs $21 million to upgrade Lutumba Growth Point into a town and some of the work is already underway.
The council’s chief executive officer Mr Peter Moyo said part of the money will cover the servicing of 485 residential stands, a move which will also ease accommodation challenges in the border town.
The Growth Point is about 20 km from Beitbridge town along the Beitbridge-Masvingo highway.
Mr Moyo said the completion of the outstanding civil works has been adversely affected by low revenue inflows which he blamed on the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We need about $21 million to complete the outstanding works at the Growth Point. The project to upgrade the Growth Point is progressing at a slower pace since we haven’t been able to collect enough revenue as a result of the Covid-19 which has taken a knock on most businesses,” said Mr Moyo.
He said the stands were serviced between 2015 and 2019 and have already been allocated to beneficiaries. Mr Moyo said they had also completed laying water pipes and opened roads in the residential area.
He said council drilled three boreholes to supply water to the Growth Point and work on the water reticulation infrastructure has been completed.
“Council is working on plans to construct a water reservoir that will be fed by the three boreholes,” said Moyo. He said council had identified land for a dumpsite and a cemetery.
Mr Moyo said the Growth Point had huge potential for growth given that it is strategically located along a major highway and is close to Beitbridge town.
The local authority has already built offices at the Growth Point while other development agents are working on constructing more schools, clinics and other facilities to service the fast growing population.
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