Gweru banks on ERRP2, devolution funds to fix roads
Gweru City Council is hoping to pace up road rehabilitation once more funds are released under the Government-funded Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme Phase 2 (ERRP2) and devolution.
The roads are in a bad shape following a combination of heavy rains since January and the absence of a grader that was undergoing repairs.
Driving around Gweru has been a nightmare as roads are littered with potholes and public transport operators had abandoned some routes leaving residents stranded because of the potholes that were resulting in damages to cars.
Motorists have been complaining of damage to car suspensions, tyres and rims due to the bad state of the roads.
However, since last week, the local authority has been rehabilitating some of the roads.
At least 60 percent of the Gweru City Council road network is gravelled and two weeks ago one of the graders used to maintain them which had broken down was delivered following repairs.
Roads in Mkoba 2, 3, 6, have been rehabilitated while potholes around Mtapa roundabout, Megawatt roundabout and many others were filled up.
Acting town clerk Mr Vakayi Chikwekwe said the arrival of the grader from repairs had also come as a relief to the local authority since it now has the equipment to use in the rehabilitation of damaged roads.
“I am glad to note that we received our grader back from repairs which has so far gone a long way in the rehabilitation of roads in the city.
‘‘As we wait for the arrival of the second grader, this one will be used for the worthy cause as most of the roads were now pothole infested.”
He said they were going to intensify road rehabilitation works once more resources from the Government through programmes such as the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme Phase 2 (ERRP2) and devolution funds are released.
“We are optimistic that the Government is going to release more funds through programmes such as ERRP Phase 2 and Devolution fund.
‘‘The Government has been assisting us with funds to rehabilitate roads. This is a positive development for us and our motorists as we are sure that the roads are going to be rehabilitated.
‘‘If it was not for the heavy rains, most of the road network would be trafficable,” said Mr Chikwekwe.
Motorists, private and public commended council for rehabilitating the roads.
“Council should always be on the road rehabilitating our roads. But we hear they didn’t have the grader or equipment.
‘‘The busy road used by commuter omnibuses from Mkoba 6 Shopping Centre to Mkoba 4 suburb turnoff was rehabilitated.
‘‘That road was no longer trafficable because of potholes to the extent that as commuter omnibuses, we were shunning it much to the disadvantage of passengers along that road/area,” said Mr Brandon Moyo, a commuter omnibus driver.
Mrs Martha Shava said she was forced to park her vehicle after a pothole damaged the right front rim and its tyre.
“At least if the road is rehabilitated, I can see where I am going even when the road is flooded.
‘‘I plunged into a pothole and my rim and its tyre were damaged. So, this is a welcome development,” she said.
The rehabilitation of the city’s road network has been hampered by inadequate financial resources as well as unavailability of plant and equipment, which led council to concentrate on routine maintenance.
Council has only been able to maintain about 35 percent of the surfaced road network which is, however, heavily potholed.-The Herald
