Chronicle Editor
Nonsikelelo Moyo, Chronicle Reporter
VICTORIA Falls Municipality is looking for partners who can finance the installation of solar powered street and traffic lights in the resort town.
Last year the local authority cancelled a $1,7 million solar street lighting contract with Mechanical Electrical Distribution after the Harare company failed to deliver.
The municipality had entered into an agreement with the company to install solar street and traffic lights in a public-private partnership.
This would have seen the local authority installing the first ever robots and tower lights as well as street lights in the resort town in exchange for advertising space on billboards.
Town Clerk Mr Ronnie Dube yesterday said they were hunting for new contractors.
“We have re-opened the bid and the project will be done in phases once we get a contractor,” said Mr Dube.
“We’re running behind schedule as we had planned on starting on the 1st of December. Once we get a bidder we will go on as planned in January.”
He said they will start with selected areas before the installation spreads to the whole town.
“We are not moving into all roads but only a few in the Central Business District and Chinotimba as well as Mkhosana suburbs. There will be three traffic lights, one at the intersection of Park Way and Livingstone Road, and the other two at Chinotimba Turn-Off and Mkhosana Turn-Off,” said the Town Clerk.
In the last three years, the resort town has witnessed a surge in traffic which has seen motorists failing to find parking space in town.
The town recently applied for a city status as well as rights to manage raw water which is currently done by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority.
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