Section of Vic Falls highway opened

Bulawayo Bureau

THE opening of an upgraded 3,6km stretch along the Bulawayo–Victoria Falls Highway in Hwange marks a major leap in the country’s ongoing massive road infrastructure development.

The road developments demonstrate the Government’s commitment deliver on its promise and pledge to “leave no one and no place behind” in national development.

This section, now open to traffic, is part of the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP) — a nationwide initiative aimed at modernising and maintaining critical transport infrastructure.

The road works were executed by Bitumen World, under their ongoing contract to rehabilitate 32 kilometres of the highway.

So far, 14km have been completed, with a further 10km expected to be delivered before year-end. The rehabilitation involved full road reconstruction and upgraded surfacing to enhance durability and safety.

Speaking at the opening event last Friday, Engineer Peace Takudzwa Harare, a construction engineer for Matabeleland North Province, said the road rehabilitation is part of a coordinated, multi-contractor programme targeting the completion of all 440km between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls within 10 months.

“Today what we have done is open this 3.6km section to traffic, which has undergone full rehabilitation and surfacing by Bitumen World. They are one of eight contractors currently working on the Bulawayo to Victoria Falls Road.

“All eight contractors are fully mobilised and at different stages of construction. These works are not only about building roads, but also ensuring sustainability and protecting the investment. Each toll plaza will be equipped with a weighbridge to prevent overloaded trucks from damaging the road again, and we are working on legislative support so that overweight vehicles cannot proceed without clearance,” said Engineer Harare.

He also emphasised the environmental sensitivity of Hwange, noting that contractors are reclaiming and reusing much of the original road material to minimise damage to natural forests and wildlife habitats.

“We are not just constructing, we are building in a sustainable way. We are reusing materials and minimising our environmental footprint to ensure that both the community and future generations benefit from this development,” he said.

Traditional leaders in Hwange hailed the progress as a major step forward in improving connectivity.