Chronicle Editor
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
THE Zimborders Consortium that is transforming the Beitbridge Border Post in partnership with the Government into a modern urban centre has started carrying our test runs at the new buses terminal that is set to open on 1 June.
About US$300 million has been committed to the Beitbridge modernisation project that is set for completion in April next year.
The massive infrastructure development initiative is being implemented on a 17 and half-year Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) concession between the Zimborders Consortium and the Government.
Under the arrangement, the consortium will manage and maintain the infrastructure for the duration of the BOT and recoup most of its invested capital from border toll fees.
Zimborders Consortium chief executive officer, Mr Francois Diedrechsen said the project had been divided into three phases to ensure that civil works were carried out without disrupting the operations at the port of entry.
These include a freight terminal, roads, and upgrading of ICT facilities (Phase 1), buses terminal (Phase 2), and the light vehicles terminal and out of port works (Phase 3).
“We have completed all the construction works including the ICT developments under Phase 2 of the Beitbridge Border Post modernisation,” he said.
“At the moment, we are having a test run for the facility as we prepare for its opening on June 1 and I can safely say, we are on schedule. Training of border officials, decanting and relocation from the old building is underway”.
Mr Diedrechsen said technical glitches were being fixed to ensure a seamless opening of the buses terminal.
He said construction works on Phase 3, which is the light vehicles terminal, will start next month and be completed at the end of November this year.
“The first phase being the freight terminal and ancillary services were opened last year and we are on course to complete the project under set timelines,” he said.
The official said the consortium was making good progress in terms of civil works which fall under the out-of-port works.
“It is pleasing to note that civil works on the new fire station and the 11, 4 megalitres reservoir are ahead of schedule. These will be completed in the next three months.
Other works include an agriculture and animal quarantine facility, a new sewer oxidation dam, 220 houses for border workers, and a fire station, among others,” said Mr Diedrechsen.
He said the agriculture and animal plant will be completed at the end of this year, and that the tempo had peaked on the housing development set for completion in April next year.
The official said they had since handed over the new oxidation dam to the Beitbridge Municipality to build its capacity to handle issues of sewer reticulation.
“We have set different targets for the out-of-port works, and we expect to wind up all such projects in April 2023,” said Mr Diedrechsen.
It is envisaged that upon the completion of civil works, the border post will carry fivefold its estimated capacity of 600 000 travellers, 30 000 commercial trucks, 15 000 buses, and 120 000 light vehicles monthly.
In addition, the new facilities will result in improved border efficiency systems.
They are also being built to accommodate the proposed One-Stop-Border-Post (OSBP) between Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Among other things, inadequacies in infrastructure have been identified as the major sticking point to the full implementation of the OSBP. –@tupeyo
Online Reporter