Gweru unveils $40m intercity transport hub plan

GWERU City Council has unveiled a plan to construct a modern intercity transport hub at an estimated cost of $40 million.

The local authority would soon be calling for expressions of interests from potential investors who would want to participate in the mega project, a senior council official said.

The inter-bus exchange centre would be similar to the proposed $60 million integrated Egodini Mall in Bulawayo, which will house a transport hub and a shopping mall. Gweru’s strategy and business development director Mr Owen Masimba said the project was expected to cost about $40 million.

“We have got investment opportunities in the transport sector and we will soon be inviting people to express interest to develop an inter-city bus exchange, which will be our own version of Egodini in Bulawayo and Park Station in South Africa,” he said.

“This has the advantage of mopping all our vendors that are in the streets because they will then be housed at that holding facility where there will be local and long distance buses as well as a mall, which comprises of supermarkets, restaurants and other services. Our initial feasibility study shows that it will cost in the region of up to $40 million.”

Mr Masimba said on completion of the project the Kudzanayi Long Distance Bus Terminus will be relocated and a shopping mall will be built in its place. He said the development will also ease congestion in the central business district. The proposed developments follow a strategic plan adopted by Gweru City Council whose implementation started in January this year until 2022. The document outlines the investment activities the city intends to undertake during this period.

Among other projects also contained in the strategic plan is the extension of the CBD and the setting up of an industrial park along the Gweru – Bulawayo Road. The local authority is looking at entering into partnerships and joint ventures for its envisaged projects.—@lavuzigara1.