Government has said feasibility studies are underway to pave way for the rehabilitation of the Beitbridge-Bulawayo highway.

Secretary for Transport and Infrastructural Development, Engineer Theodius Chinyanga said work on the 327km Beitbridge to Bulawayo Road, which is now in bad shape, was delayed by the outbreak of COVID-19.

Eng Chinyanga said the road was being rehabilitated in line with the requirements of the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (Zida) Act.

“Work on this road had been temporarily delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, but the concessioner is now busy with the feasibility studies. This will then inform what needs to be done under what timelines, but we are confident this will be done in the shortest possible time as required by the Zida Act,” said Eng Chinyanga.

He said the Government and the Zimborders Consortium have completed the first phase of the Beitbridge Modernization project which is being done at a total cost of US$300 million.

So far, US$65 million has been spent on the construction of a new state-of-the-art terminal, where a two-week dry run started on Thursday last week pending its official opening on October 6.

“We are going to move the contractor who is on the southernmost part of the Beitbridge to Harare highway to start work on the exit of the modernized border post,” said Eng Chinyanga.

“As you are aware, we are upgrading the Beitbridge to Masvingo to Harare Road, and it is part of the works that we will take into account so that this border goes hand in hand with a good road. Our plan is to, at the beginning of next year or earlier than that, get the contractor working on the 20km stretch from the border going towards the Bubi area”.

-State Media