BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) yesterday opened the phase 1A of Egodini Mall taxi rank and informal trading stalls after the completion of the stage last week.
The developments at the long-awaited project were revealed by town clerk Christopher Dube in a notice to stakeholders and residents over the weekend.
The BCC on October 11, 2012 contracted Terracota to redesign Basch Street terminus, known as Egodini, and turn it into a multi-purpose mall under a build, operate and transfer arrangement.
The company projected a total investment of US$60 million for the project.
However, the project has taken almost 11 years to complete since the tender was awarded to the firm, with residents unimpressed by the slow pace at the project site.
The company failed to meet deadlines amid complaints and calls by the residents for the council to cancel the contract and re-tender the project.
In the notice, Dube said: “The City of Bulawayo would like to advise members of the public that the redevelopment of phase 1A (taxi rank and informal trading stalls) of Egodini Mall project is complete.”
He also revealed that commuter omnibuses would start using Egodini rank starting from yesterday, with commuters from Cowdray Park, Luveve, Entumbane, Emakhandeni, Gwabalanda and Mpopoma using the terminus.
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The rank will also accommodate transporters plying city routes including Magwegwe, Magwegwe North and West, Mpilo and United Bulawayo Hospitals, Barbourfields, Mzilikazi, Pumula Old (A and B), Pumula North, Nkulumane 5, 10, 11, 12, Lovendale, Pumula South, Mthunzini, Emganwnini, Rangemore, Mbundane and Nketa 9.
Dube said there would be two pedestrian access points to Egodini along Lobengula Street between 6th Avenue and 8th Avenue.
The other pedestrian crossing will be along 8th Avenue between Lobengula and Basch Streets.
He said all registered public transport vehicles would be required to use designated ranks.
Dube also told Southern Eye that transporters plying the city Emganwini, Mpilo and UBH routes would use Hyper terminus.
Transporters travelling between the city and Bellevue, Mpilo, UBH, Waterford, Manningdale, Hillside, Burnside, Mahatshula, Newton West and Woodville will use the City Hall Parking.
Those plying the city and destinations including Richmond would use the 2nd Avenue and Lobengula Street rank, while commuters travelling to Queens Park, Cowdray Park, Luveve, Trenance, Sauerstown, Kingsdale and Queensdale will use the 3rd Avenue and Lobengula rank.
The Egodini project recorded significant progress since January, amid praises for Bulawayo mayor David Coltart and his council for putting more effort to see the completion of the mall.
Coltart last month revealed that the construction of phase 1 was complete, with 400 vendors to be given stalls at the mall.
Coltart said the construction would be moving to the other phases and the constructors would give feedback on the developments done for those phases.
