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Last Updated: Monday, 9 December 2002 |
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Toll-gates concept laudable WITH just two weeks before the festive season, Zimbabwe has already lost nine lives on the roads. This follows an accident last week on Thursday when a Mutare-bound Tenda bus they were travelling in rammed into the side of a haulage truck it was overtaking outside the city of Masvingo.It is always stated that the carnage on our roads is caused by human error. To some extent, yes, but mostly it is human negligence. One of the main causes of accidents on the highways is the size of the roads. The roads are just too narrow. Plans to upgrade our highways into dual carriageways to reduce road accidents have always been on the drawing board. But lack of funds has been the snag. The country cannot continue to lose lives on these roads. Money has to be found to upgrade the highways. Among the country¡¯s highways which should be upgraded are the Harare-Chirundu, Harare-Bulawayo, Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge, Bulawayo-Victoria Falls and Harare-Mutare. There are many companies with brilliant ideas to mobilise resources to implement the various projects. Minister Witness Mangwende, who is responsible for Transport and Communications, has announced that the construction of toll-gates and the upgrading of the country¡¯s major highways under the "built-operate-transfer" concept is expected to begin next year. This is a very good way of funding road construction as it reduces the burden on the fiscus. Local authorities can raise money from the toll-gates to repair and maintain roads in their areas. Some four years ago, the City of Harare made known its plans to build nine toll-gates on major roads into the capital. Had it not been because of lack of funds, construction of toll-gates would have been completed way back. Once built, toll-gates can rack in millions every year. Although the amount would fall short as compared to the money allocated for maintenance of roads annually, it would bridge a big gap in local authority finances. Road toll projects is another way of creating employment opportunities while at the same time empowering indigenous businessmen in the construction industry. The concept of building toll-gates around major cities is not new or unique to Zimbabwe. It has been implemented successfully at the Limpopo Bridge and has been in operation for years in some countries. The idea behind it is to raise money to help maintain road infrastructure. Municipalities like Harare and Bulawayo should invest in heavy construction equipment which are critical to preserve road infrastructure. Of utmost importance is the preservation of human life. We have witnessed a number of accidents in our cities which are a direct result of the narrow and bad roads. Motorists will not necessarily be concerned with paying an extra fee. They want to see well-maintained roads in exchange for their money. That the Ministry of Transport and Communications, together with consortiums of Zimbabwean and South African companies, will be involved in the construction of toll-gates and the upgrading of the country¡¯s major highways is a good idea. However, the private sector should move in to maintain roads in their respective towns and cities and all residential areas. This they can do by taking over the maintenance of the roads on a "build-operate-transfer" basis to the municipalities |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Ivinicus factus sum veritabem diceus." ( I have become an enemy for speaking the truth ) St Paul! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mitayo Potosi
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