Govt surpasses road grading target

but sometimes major grading and reshaping is necessary due to prolonged wet weather or unusually heavy traffic.

Significant rutting, loss of crown, and deep ditches are all circumstances that necessitate more substantial repair work.

Given the maintenance backlog that has bedevilled the country’s national road network, the commencement of the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme has given a new lease of life to the country’s roads.

Under the programme 3 711km of gravel roads were regravelled.

The District Development Fund (DDF) surpassed its planned target by grading 21 231 kilometres against its planned target of 21 175 kilometres.

The DDF received total disbursements of $22,9 million for 2017. The DDF, which falls under the Office of the President and Cabinet, is the only road authority to achieve a 100 percent mark for grading, under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme.

This achievement was enhanced by the funding for the purchase of 80 motorised graders by Zinara and disbursed to road authorities. DDF also achieved 100 percent mark for reconstruction and reseal were the planned 40km was attained

The Department of Roads, which falls under the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development received a total of $39,4 million under the programme.

A total of 5 396 kilometres of gravel/earth roads were graded against a target of 8 160 kilometres.

Urban councils got a disbursement of $38,8 million which resulted in them covering 89 percent of their planned works’ under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme.

However, with a specific focus on grading, urban councils graded 846 kilometres against a set target of 947 kilometres.

The Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme’s implementation is being co-ordinated through a Project Steering Committee (PSC), which provides policy guidance.

The Project Steering Committee is chaired by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and is constituted of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development; Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing and the District Development Fund (DDF).

For more information contact pr@zinara. co.zw or amoyo@zinara.co.zw