BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) is set to receive a ZWL$12 billion windfall from the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) for road rehabilitation.
According to latest council minutes, Zinara has indicated that the local authority’s allocation for this year is ZWL$12 124 293 120,29, an amount which is, however, far below the ZWL$117 billion the city requires or routine and periodic maintenance works.
“The city intend(s) to use 30% of the allocation, ZWL$3 637 287 936,08 for routine maintenance and ZWL$8 487 005 184,21 for periodic maintenance. The routine maintenance works would comprise of pothole patching, localised pavement reconstruction works, signage, road markings and street lighting repairs city wide, while periodic maintenance would include reconstruction works on Wellington road, Murchinson Road and Luveve 5 roads,” the minutes read.
The council noted that priority roads needing urgent rehabilitation are 23,1km long and would cost an estimated US$20 553 000 or ZWL$117 328 449 675,21 using the RBZ auction rate of US$1 to ZWL$5 790, 0545 as of November 30 last year.
“Due to budgetary constraints, the city would have had the capacity to rehabilitate the top seven roads contained in the key priority roads table (10,8km) estimated to cost US$5 650,790.
“The source of funding would be Emergency Roads Rehabilitation Programme 2, council’s own revenue stream and Devolution funds," the minutes state.
The minutes added: “The reduction in the scope of works was attributed to the increasing costs of road construction or repair materials which was a result of the weakening local currency against the US$; and outstanding payments from 2022 were paid using 2023 budget allocation.
“Westbound Traffic lane earthworks were complete. Eastbound lanes had been closed off and traffic redirected to the Westbound Traffic lanes in order to commence preparatory works for surfacing. Surfacing of Eastbound Lanes commenced and was at 80% completion, suppliers’ batching plants broke down and delayed deliveries of asphalt concrete to the ground,” the minutes added.
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