Gweru City Council has started rehabilitation of Igonte Road between Mkoba Teachers College and Mkoba 7 suburb under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP 2).
Driving through the pothole-riddled road had become a nightmare for motorists and the situation has been worsened by the rains that have been falling in the city.
The Government has so far spent more than $1 billion on road rehabilitation, gravelling and drainage structuring across the country under ERRP2.
City of Gweru public relations officer Ms Vimbai Chingwaramusee yesterday said Government had released about US$100 000 for the Mkoba road project.
“Yes council has started work on the Igonte Road between Mkoba Teachers Collage and Mkoba 7 suburb. The rehabilitation is being done under ERRP II,” she said.
Ms Chingwaramusee said the contractor was already on the ground.
She said the local authority has 436km of tarred road and 647km of gravel roads and most roads need rehabilitation.
“We are planning to fix three other roads next year. This year we were allocated $475 million for road rehabilitation by the Zimbabwe National Road Administration,” she said.
Ms Chingwaramusee said road infrastructure development is a key enabler of economic growth.
“Funds from ERRP I and II have helped us rehabilitate some of the roads in the city,” she said.
Meanwhile, the local authority has banned the use of loudspeakers and other musical instruments used for advertising purposes in the Central Business District (CBD).
Ms Chingwaramusee said there have been public complaints about advertising noise made in the city centre through the use of loudspeakers and other musical instruments.
“Please be advised that the act of using such gadgets is in contravention of the city by-laws,” she said.
The by-laws read in part: ‘No person shall operate or cause or permit to operate any wireless, loudspeaker, gramophone, record player, amplifier, musical instrument or similar device so as to disturb or interfere with the rest, peace and tranquillity of any occupier of premises in the neighbourhood or any in public space or operate or cause or permit to be operated on the purpose of advertising any wireless, loudspeaker, gramophone, record player, amplifier, musical instrument or similar device in the neighbourhood in or adjacent to any public street or place without the prior written consent of the council.”
Ms Chingwaramusee said the business community is therefore urged to desist from conducting unauthorised advertising resulting in disturbance of peace and tranquillity.
“Those who wish to advertise using the above mention gadgets should apply to council through the Chamber Secretary’s Office,” she said. – The Chronicle
