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Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
PLANS are at an advanced stage for the construction of the long-awaited bypass, that includes a major road over rail bridge stretching from the Vitalis Zvinavashe Road traffic circle (Central Sorting Office), straight into Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Road South, a move aimed at easing congestion in Harare.
A consulting firm has since been appointed and has completed processing detailed designs of the bridging over multiple tracks.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona said the major highway from the airport petered out in the Braeside area shortly before the Mukuvisi River and the main railway line.
“What we are going to do now is to construct a road over rail. It will be a state-of-the art road which will benefit those travelling to the airport.
“We have since completed the designs and now we are in the process of looking for a contractor to do the works,” he said.
Minister Mhona said construction was also in progress along the Harare ring road or Harare Drive that had some missing links in the southern sections, although it has a continuous run from Mutare Road right round the northern suburbs to Solomon Mujuru Drive (former Kirkman Road).
The Government recently moved in to construct a 790m link road and a bridge along Harare Drive in the Houghton Park area linking two sections of the southern ring road as part of the works associated with the Mbudzi interchange.
A bridge is being constructed and the road stretches from a roundabout along Simon Mazorodze Road and passes between Houghton Park, Waterfalls Community Hall and Parktown to link into Masotsha Ndlovu Way, which also stretches from Simon Mazorodze Road to Seke Road.
Gwebi River Bridge and a 4km stretch along Old Mazowe Road from the bridge were opened to traffic on Monday after the Government completed construction.
About 26km of access roads in the Mount Hampden area linking the New Parliament Building and surrounding areas are almost complete.
The scope of works on Old Mazowe Road included construction and landscaping of the road from the Westgate traffic circle to Mt Hampden, the Loop Road and New Parliament Building access roads.
Government is also rehabilitating Harare Metropolitan roads, fixing street lights and landscaping. At least 37 roads in the Greater Harare area that link the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport and the city are being rehabilitated.
The overall progress of all works is now 90 percent and the target completion date is Wednesday this week.
Surfacing work is also currently underway on Braeside Road behind OK Mart.
Outside Harare, stabilised base compaction is in progress on the Murambinda-Birchenough Road construction project.
On the Marondera-Wedza Road construction project, surfacing is in progress.
Minister Mhona said the Minsitry was attending to all the detours being used while rehabilitating some of the roads as well as attending to other roads that are in poor condition countrywide.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter