By Shongedzai Mugwagwa

The Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) has divided the Beitbridge-Harare highway into nine segments signalling the commencement of the widening and partial dualisation of the busy highway in the country.

High ranking officials in Zinara told the Harare Post that the project was divided on priority basis and availability of resources.

He said that they were targeting the most dangerous sections of the highway and the project would take close to three years to complete.

According to the official, the segmentation starts from Skyline to Beitbridge and the Beitbridge to Chirundu is going through procurement.

The segments are as follows: Skyline-Beatrice, Beatrice-Chivhu, Chivhu Town, Chivhu-Fairfield, Fairfield-Masvingo, Masvingo Town, Masvingo- Ngundu,  Ngundu- Bubi  and Bubi- Beitbridge. The rest of the road to Chirundu is going through procurement process.

Information received had it that the project will be constructed by local contractors and it will be fully funded by Government.

The Minister of Infromation, Publicity and Broadcasting services, Monica Mutsvangwa told the Harare Post that Government will now rehabilitate and widen the highway over the next three years at a cost of $693 million, while dualisation will only take place on some sections of the road.

“The road will be widened from the current seven metres to 12,5 metres making it similar with the N1 highway in South Africa and the Chirundu-Lusaka Road in Zambia. Sections of the road to be dualised will cost $466 million,” she said.

Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development, Joel Biggie Matiza said that the project was now fully functional with contractors on site opening detours.