Residents want council to rehabilitate Masvingo bridge

REGIS CHINGAWO     IN MASVINGO

Masvingo residents are  calling on the government and the Masvingo City Council  to rehabilitate Chimusana Bridge to relieve traffic congestion on the main  Mucheke River bridge, Business Times can report.

Residents said it was now cumbersome to reach the central business district from Mucheke residential areas.

Chimusana bridge, residents said could, be the solution as the Mucheke River bridge was no longer able to cater for a huge volume of  traffic.

“We are calling on the government and Masvingo City Council to carry out some rehabilitation work at Chimusana bridge which is supposed to be an easy gateway into town,” a Mucheke resident said.

“The main Mucheke River bridge is now overwhelmed with traffic as it is now narrow.”

Taurai  Madyangove, a resident of  Sisk suburb, told this publication that he fears a national disaster if the Mucheke River  bridge collapses.

“Remember this bridge is used by traffic coming to and from South Africa to countries such as  Zambia, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo and Malawi.

“Mucheke River bridge becomes congested during the peak hours making it difficult for motorists including drivers  of haulage trucks to enter or go out of town. The local authority  must give priority to Chimusana bridge and carry out some necessary rehabilitation work,”Madyangove said.

Some residents also told Business Times that they are arriving to work late due to the congestion.

Masvingo  Residents Forum secretary, Prosper Tiringindi blamed the local authority for ignoring residents’ pleas over the rehabilitation of Chimusana bridge.

“Over the years we have lobbied council to rehabilitate Chimusana bridge but our pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

“Council once promised to reconstruct the bridge but later on backtracked saying  they could not afford to carry out maintenance works which  accumulated to US$3m during the time when Adolf Gusha was the Town Clerk. Our council must give this project a  priority,”Tiringindi said.

Sometime last year,  Masvingo Town Clerk, Edward Mukaratirwa told Business Times that Chimusana project will be covered under the  road rehabilitation phase three programme.

“On our proposals which we did, we considered the project under the Emergency Roads Rehabilitation programme.

“However, the bridge rehabilitation programme does not qualify under the routine maintenance programme which is the first phase. It also does not qualify under the phase two programme which is the periodic  maintenance  but it qualifies under the third phase,” Mukaratirwa said.

He added: “We are hoping that if all goes well and get some funding, we will be able  to rehabilitate the bridge  under the emergency  road rehabilitation programme, which is the third phase.”