Online Reporter
George Maponga
Masvingo Bureau
AT least US$75 million is required to build a new bridge across Runde River at Chilonga to link the Chikombedzi rural heartland and Chiredzi Town, which is the district’s commercial capital.
Calls for a new all-weather bridge have been intensifying after a low-level bridge across Runde River was swept away when the river burst its banks and submerged the structure during the recent past rainy season.
Chiredzi district development coordinator, Mr Lovemore Chisema, said temporary repair work for Chilonga low-level crossing was meant to ease the plight of travellers while sourcing of funds for the project continued.
“At least US$75 million is required to build a state-of-the-art all-weather bridge at Chilonga that will provide the shortest link between rural Chikombedzi and Chiredzi Town,” said Mr Chisema.
“While mobilisation of the funds is ongoing, the Government released US$2 million to facilitate temporary repair work on the heavily damaged low-level crossing, which is preferred by most travellers because the route reduces the distance between rural Chikombedzi and Chiredzi Town by about 80km.”
Mr Chisema noted that the temporary repair work was in support of efforts by the local community to make the low-level crossing trafficable by putting rocks and stones on the damaged small bridge.
Construction of the all-weather bridge would resume once adequate funding has been mobilised to implement the project up to completion.
There have been incessant calls by the Chilonga community for the Government to urgently provide funding to build a bridge across Runde and eliminate the carnage that occurs perennially due to drowning.
Yearly, at least five people lose their lives through drowning while trying to cross the Chilonga low-level bridge.
Another bridge across Runde River that is downstream at Chipinda Pools in the Gonarezhou National Park was rendered unusable after it was extensively damaged by Cyclone Eline floods about 25 years ago.
