adminThupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Government has started rehabilitating the 113-kilometre Lutumba-Tshikwalakwala Road, which links the border town of Beitbridge and Chiredzi district. Acting chairman of Beitbridge Rural District Development Committee Mr Jahson Mugodzwa on Tuesday said civil works started at the beginning of this month.
The rehabilitation project is expected to be completed in two months. Workers from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development have so far re- gravelled 40km from Lutumba towards Tshikwalakwala area, as part of rehabilitation of the road which had remained unattended for the past three decades.
“We are happy with the progress on the ground and very hopeful that its condition will have improved in two months,” said Mr Mugodzwa.
“This is one of the key roads in the district, which cuts across Beitbridge East constituency and also serves as a link to people living in Beitbridge and Chiredzi districts.
“The bulk of the work is mainly grading and gravelling of the road from Lutumba turn-off to Tshikwalakwala area.” Mr Mugodzwa said culverts would be constructed to help improve the drainage systems along the road. The bad state of the road has been hampering movement of grain, particularly to drought-affected areas and the regular monitoring of Government programmes.
“A good road network helps in the swift operation of Government programmes,” said Mr Mugodzwa.
“Some of these include transportation of drought relief, seed and farming implements distribution, school feeding programme monitoring and disease control, among others.”
Mr Mugodzwa urged agencies such as Beitbridge Rural District Council, District Development Fund, including the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development to constantly maintain roads falling under their portfolios to enhance accessibility to remote parts of the vast district.
Horticultural farmers living along the road have been facing challenges ferrying their produce to Beitbridge Town.
Vice-President Kembo Mohadi, who is also a Member of Parliament for Beitbridge East, and Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Jorum Gumbo pushed for the rehabilitation programme.
The Lutumba-Tshikwalakwala Road services nine business centres in the district, including Beitbridge Colliery Mine, two clinics and Chituripasi Police Station.
Two major irrigation schemes Tshikwalakwala and Tshamaswiswi and six wards with a population of over 50 000 people also depend on the road. Crucially, the area lies within the Greater Limpopo Trans-frontier Conservation Area, which covers parts of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Online Reporter