Roads and bridge construction projects are progressing fast in Mashonaland East province where Bitumen World has been rebuilding Rwenya Bridge on the Mudzi-Nyanga border, while part of the Hwedza-Mushandirapamwe Road has been opened to traffic.
At Rwenya Bridge, major works have been completed with the contractor now working on both the Nyamapanda and Nyanga approaches.
Currently, priming of Nyamapanda approach is complete, while the Nyanga approach is 90 percent complete.
This critical bridge was swept away more than a decade ago by heavy rains, affecting service delivery for the people of Rwenya in Nyamapanda, Mashonaland East and some parts of Nyanga in Manicaland Province.
The bridge is a key element of the border road in the north east and traffic between the northern ends of Manicaland and Mashonaland East had to be diverted further south.
In an interview with The Herald yesterday, Mashonaland East provincial roads engineer Mrs Martha Ndoro said there was progress on the site.
“Repair of damaged parapet posts on the existing section is now complete,” she said.
“All piers, spans and parapets of the repaired section are now complete. Also stone pitching on both sides is now complete.
“Now priming of Nyamapanda approach is at 100 percent complete and is now awaiting surfacing. The Nyanga approach is at 90 percent complete and will be ready for priming by this weekend if the weather permits.”
In a related development, Eng Ndoro said Government had re-tendered the Murewa-Madicheche Road upgrade works.
This road connects Mashonaland East through Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe district to Mashonaland Central.
The road has been in a bad shape for a long time after it was heavily damaged by incessant rains, crippling economic activities, especially for the people of Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe, who are paying exorbitant fares to the few vehicles plying the road.
Meanwhile, there is notable progress in the Hwedza-Mushandirapamwe road upgrade, with 6km of the surfaced stretch already opened to traffic.
“About 2,6km earthworks are also completed and are awaiting surfacing. Also, about 2,3km earthworks are work in progress and will be completed soon,” Eng Ndoro said.
Masimba Holdings was tasked to upgrade this road and will work on the 22km from Fels to Mushandirapamwe business centres.
The Hwedza-Mushandirapamwe Road links Hwedza district to Marondera and is being upgraded under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP).
The reconstruction of failed infrastructure, repair of damaged roads and general restoration of high-quality road communications are all part of the ERRP 2, a major programme of the Second Republic as it converts policy on paper into roads and bridges that people can walk, ride on and drive along. – The Herald
