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Ivan Zhakata Herald Correspondent
Zupco has been urged to increase its passenger rail services to other routes and accommodate more people to avoid chaos during peak hours and prevent them from boarding mushikashika and unregistered vehicles.
This comes after the police on Wednesday launched a blitz against pirate taxis popularly known as mushikashika and unregistered vehicles impounding close to 600 vehicles.
Travellers attributed the boarding of unregistered buses, kombis and mushikashika which are not operating under the Zupco franchise to lack of Zupco buses and kombis across the capital.
They have urged Zupco to expand its passenger rail services to other suburbs where the trains were not reaching and increase the coaches on the trains so that they carry more passengers.
The travellers said Zupco should also come up with an effective timetable for pick and drops at the bus termini to avoid chaos and delays which were forcing them to resort to mushikashika and unregistered vehicles.
They said another reason why they go to mushikashika was because they would want to be at their places of residence before the curfew time.
Ms Natasha Mhuri from Mabvuku said she uses the train as her mode of transport to town but she is sometimes frustrated with the delays at the train station.
“Zupco must increase its coaches because sometimes the coaches will be full such that we will have to stand all the way to Mabvuku. I think it is also better if they can add a second train so that the service can be more efficient and we can also avoid delays,” she said.
Mrs Grace Chinyani from Kuwadzana said Zupco should consider taking other routes where railway lines pass through so that they accommodate more people.
“Zupco buses are not enough and where I stay there are no railway networks so we are forced to go to mushikashika. We need more trains because they are efficient and they are not affected by traffic congestion. Instead vehicles wait for trains to pass through at intersections so Zupco must look into increasing their rail services,” she said.
Mr Noel Mutingwina from Dzivarasekwa echoed the same sentiments and urged Zupco to make use of the railway line that passes through Cold Comfort.
“We have a railway line that passes through our neighbourhood but we have not seen any trains passing by. Zupco should make use of that route as well so that people can board the train and not mushikashika. Moreover, Zupco fares are cheap but the problem is their buses are not enough,” he said.
In September last year, Zupco partnered with the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) to provide shuttling services from the railway stations into residential suburbs.
The development came after commuters expressed concern over the shortage of Zupco buses which resulted in them resorting to mushikashika as an alternative.
Zupco acting chief executive officer Mr Evaristo Mudangwa was not available for comment but National Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi on Wednesday said their operation was being conducted countrywide.
“The operation is continuing and it is not only being conducted in Harare but in almost every province. We will release a consolidated report about the arrests made in other provinces,” he said.
Online Reporter