Nevanji Munyaradzi Chiondegwa
The Adhoc Inter-Ministerial Committee on decongestion and proper street lighting for Harare Metropolitan Province which was set up to act as a pilot programme, that will be replicated in other major towns , has been working tirelessly with some successes already recorded.
The Committee was set up after Government had noticed failure by the urban councils tasked to bring about development and order in urban municipalities failing to do so.
Government then declared the roads an state of emergency enabling it to move in and mobilise resources to fix the situation.
The work of the Committee, chaired by Minister of Local Government and Public Works July Moyo which is part of the ongoing Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP2) has made numerous tangible interventions so far in Harare.
This was announced by Minister of Information, Publishing and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa in a press release yesterday.
“Issues if personal security and safety invoke a lot of anxiety among our people. Government noted that the failure by Local Authorities to repair both traffic and street lights was compromising this safety with many reported cases of muggings and sexual offences. Therefore Government has taken it upon itself to repair infrastructure such as street lights along major trunk roads, repair and upgrade both traffic lights and signals at major junctions.
Government also embarked on an exercise of installing new traffic lights in some areas and addition of filter lanes at roundabouts an a selected junctions in order to improve the flow of traffic. Where carriageway markings are not there or have been obliterated these are being renewed and new lanes inserted,” read the statement from Minister Mutsvangwa.
A modern based traffic enforcement system with cameras for monitoring and surveillance is being rolled out. This will curtail the tendency by unruly elements who flout traffic regulations.
More ZUPCO buses are being hired and deployed to help in the mass public transport system. Measures to make the system efficient including the improving of the electronic ticketing system, improving traffic control, bus tracking system and developing a passenger mobile application system for ZUPCO is in the pipeline.
Meanwhile, ZRP and Municipal Traffic Units will be resourced to carry out joint operations to reduce logjams created by flouters of road regulations. They will impound vehicles which are not road worthy or are involved in serious violations of traffic rules.
The interventions taken by Government so far include:
Solar installation of Mbudzi Tower Light
Synchronisation of 9 traffic lights along Samora Machel Avenue
Installation of new traffic signals at Borrowdale/Crowhill and Kirkman/Monavale. Two(2) traffic lights complete
Construction of non-mountable kerbing/jersey barriers in the CBD and other hot spots
Road widening, potholes patching and road repairs
Cameras installed at Market Square for pilot studies
Bus stop shelters have been built at Avondale and Queensdale
Continuously engaging private players to have their buses registered under the ZUPCO franchise system
Reviving old bus routes and establish new ones
“Government wishes to inform the public that it will do all in its power to improve the livelihoods and quality of life of citizenry. We will give regular updates to progress being made in implementing these interventions,” ended the statement from Minister Mutsvangwa.
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