Friday, March 29, 2024

Lusaka roads project aimed at easing congestion to start in two weeks

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Some road rehabilitation projects left by the MMD government are still progressing. Here, a grader from Sable Construction levelling gravel and stones on the once rugged Katima Mulilo road in Lusaka. The road will be upgraded from two lanes to four lanes to ease congestion on the stretch.
Some road rehabilitation projects left by the MMD government are still progressing. Here, a grader from Sable Construction levelling gravel and stones on the once rugged Katima Mulilo road in Lusaka. The road will be upgraded from two lanes to four lanes to ease congestion on the stretch.

The road rehabilitation and construction that will change the landscape of Zambia’s capital city in the process helping to end the traffic congestion will commence in two weeks time.

The Road Development Agency (RDA) in collaboration with the Lusaka City Council (LCC) announced yesterday that the works would involve 408 kilometers of Lusaka roads and would be completed in 43 months from the date of commencement.

The commencement of the project follows the conclusion of the designs by the contractor and the consultants.

The RDA and the Council have since appealed to car-wash owners, traders and others currently operating their businesses within the road reserve to vacate the areas to enable the road contractor carry out the works.

RDA chief executive officer Bernard Chiwala confirmed in a statement in Lusaka yesterday that the contractor AVIC international project Engineering Company had since mobilised.

He said phase one of the project would include the expansion of the 12.12 km stretch of Burma road from Independence Avenue to the Kasama road junction, the expansion of Mumbwa road from Lumumba road junction to a stretch of 9.41 km.

The expansion of the 2.19 km Thabo Mbeki road from Alick Nkhata junction to Arcades roundabout and the expansion of the 6.74 km of the Independence Avenue.

He said subsequent phases would involve the construction, rehabilitation and improvement of over 300 km of residential roads and bus routes, 45 km of the industrial and collector roads and 10 junctions in order to improve traffic flow.

Others would include construction, rehabilitation and improvement of 19 bus bays, one interchange on the Great East road and street lighting of selected roads.

The RDA and the Council appealed to the general public to exercise patience and give the contractor maximum cooperation as the contractor undertook the works.

47 COMMENTS

    • good stuff, but it would be even smarter if we start doing flyovers at interchanges. The inflow of cars will supercede ths xpansion. Let’s be proactive

    • How had is it to have this kind of commitment to develop your own country? Whats wrong in doing projects the will bring pride and joy to the country?

      Its about time we did projects that are remarkable. if we do a road or bridge, let it be something that will wow us and visitors and not like we are doing someone else a favour when in fact its our own country

      We must start loving our country

      This sounds good

  1. This is great news. We are in a hurry to develop Zambia as this is actually long overdue.

    • @ wezi, man, you MMD folks are such shameless chancers! Not too long ago you were running away from the subsidy issue being your idea when V.P. Scott reminded you of it. And now you want to claim road projects to be yours? Wow, talk about being hypocritical and politically lost!

  2. i would rather they spoke about this when the project was 30% underway, or even when they finished. too much talking but very slow or not delivery.

    • @PF – Pa Fimafi, very rarely are projects of this magnitude announced after works have started. Even rarest after 30% of the works have been completed. What is the source of your frustrations bululu, loss of an election? Wow, never seen such negativity on nearly everything this Zambian govt does!

      Anyway, going by the choice of your “name”, it is like “stroking a dead horse” to even try to cheer you up. Well, have fun withering away in your corrosive partisan politics and directionless pessimism.

    • Serious, how? How dull must you be to politicize everything? Try to have an independent mind, not an inferior mind to politics.

  3. While I welcome this idea – very good progress, but bane this will not reduce congestion in the city center, it will actually worsen it. remember regardless of wherever you are coming from, there are only three (3) entry points into the city centre – Kabwe round about, Kafue round about, post office junction. Both of them end up in a T-junction. I was expecting that they will dismantle the round abouts and create an interchange with overpasses (fly over bridges) so people don’t have to stop at a round about or a T-junction. They should also build another road on top of Cairo road. Ba PF can you put that in your 2017 budget!!

    • Mwamona Nomba and Ichalobantu you both have a point but definitely as MN details, there is need for serious consideration on how to best avoid congestion and it may not necessarily mean construction of over passes or architectural road designs that are a marvel. Surely I do not need to go through Cairo Road when destined North or South and East or West. The idea behind the town arrangement of Mkushi, Serenje and Chinsali off the Great North Road (major highway) was a very noble idea. So these three points into Lusaka could sure be redesigned. At least since we are reorganizing we can take leaf from congested African cities like Nairobi and Lagos.

  4. This is a fantastic start to try and improve the look of our capital city. Hope it is a reputable contractor who will carry out the works. We are tired of mediocre construction works that have plagued our country for far too long. Poor workmanship can be quite costly to both the economy and taxpayers. Our Govt should make it absolutely clear the kind of high standards and engineering workmanship they expect from all contractors.

    Let us raise our standards concerning these massive capital projects so we are NOT back here five, ten, fifteen, or twenty years from now pouring more funds in the same projects when we could moving on to building world-class airports, colleges, hospitals, etc. Govt should not hesitate to yank a contract away from pretenders.

    Good news & God bless Zed!

  5. Please Sir, these ‘sayings’ are for the street touts. Lets not copy that street language, lets show the street touts good manner and rule over them not otherwise. Sanity must prevail in our country begining from our homes and from what we say.

    Thank-you.

  6. Everythn was started by MMD….Surely you must be douchebags coz for how long was the implementation of so called ‘”fckn mmd projects” goin to start since 1991…Why has it taken PF less than 3 years to do it .Are you goin to agree now that he is the man of action? Get over jerks..

    • For your own information, we still have projects that we lleft by the UNIP Government which are still being implemented. Read and research don’t just comment for the sake of dissing each other.

    • This part of Japanese Aid grant. It takes a long time from concept to proposal to negotiation, lobbying, grant approval, design and implementation. But as usual in politics the one who gets to implement/use (i.e. harvest the bumper crop) claims all credit!!

  7. Everythn was started by MMD….Surely you must be douchebags coz for how long was the implementation of so called ‘”fckn mmd projects” goin to start since 1991…Why has it taken PF less than 3 years to do it .Are you goin to agree now that he is the man of action?

  8. I cant Comment or insult those saying MMD started the projects.

    i just declare them redundant and may their numbers dwindle in peace so that Sata and pf can have a breathing space and bring more development.

    MMD and UPND are thugs…Cant you see even when they have a big funeral and govt says no campaigns until burial they are out here showing their foolishness.Shame.

  9. Man of Action at work. Go and tell man of action idea of about over passess and he will implement if it is viable.I like HEMCS. Viva PF Viva Pa Bwato.SELA TUBOMBEKA!!!!

  10. @Yikes, and this when we are seeing the rays of “light at the end of the tunnel” UNIP folks were fond of telling us about? Wow, no wonder they lost the 1991 elections!

  11. While I appreciate the move, I feel for the Kitwe Chingola road and other roads that need a dual make-over. Congestion over fatal road accidents, which BTW appear to be occurring almost everyday, is kind of scary, how about that PF. Anyway any form of meaningful dev. is welcome, lets prioritize.

    • Read and Research before you expose your ignorance. Read the article on 31 May (on LT) about road contracts being signed.

    • @ Graffico, why not just reference the 31 May article and explain what it says rather than call Zambia1 “ignorant”? That’s all it takes. There is no need to be insulting as it just looks bad on you.

    • Spuds. Sorry about that. It’s just that the negativity of some bloggers tends to tick me off sometimes.

    • If u follow happenings, u would know that a contract has been awarded for Chingola-Kitwe dual carriage way.

  12. HOWEVER YOU MAY WANT TO CRITICISE SATA, HE’S A MAN OF ACTION. WE SHOULD HAVE HAD HIM 10 YRS AGO THIS PLACE WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT BY NOW. I HOPE THE UNDER FIVE FREE MASON HAS SOMETHING TO LEARN.

  13. Well-done Man of God Mr Chiwala I know you can achieve this we need men like you may the Lord richly bless our great nation Zambia.

  14. IN FUTURE LETS CONSIDER ENGAGING OUR OWN ROAD ENGINEERS AND UNDERGRADUATES FROM COPPER BELT UNIVERSITY AND UNZA TO DESIGN THE ROAD NETWORK. IF THEIR DESIGNS ARE ACCEPTED THEN THE MONEY THAT WAS TO BE PAID TO THE BIG COMPANIES CAN BE OFFERED TO THESE ENGINEERS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH AND TO THE UNDERGRADUATES IN THE FORM OF SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THEIR STUDIES. I AM VERY SURE THAT THESE GUYS ARE CAPABLE OF GIVING US HOME GROWN DESIGNS BUT OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS. IN THAT WAY THE COUNTRY WILL BENEFIT FINANCIALLY AS WELL. QUALITY IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT, LETS NOT GET THE KABWATA TYPE OF ROADS OF 1988. THEY LASTED ONLY 5 MONTHS.

  15. Good developmental programs should go beyond petty party politics. I wouldn’t see reason to stop a well meaning project irrespective of the initiator. It is true that MMD can be recognized for the role played in identification of the roads projects, conducting feasibility studies, structural civil engineering and mobilization of resources. It is alright that PF continues with the implementation stage. Should PF fall out whichever government is ushered in will be obligated to carry on with the roads, hospitals and other infrastructure being undertaken. The problem is not paying due recognition to the achievements of a replaced leadership. Parties should make their mark in improving the lives of the people that all families can have three full meals a day, housing, education and health.

  16. That is where we go wrong, how do you “appeal” to people running illegal activities on our roads and railway line to move out to allow road and railway rehabilitation!

    As govt you just evict them because they are there illegally…dont legitimize informality!

  17. True @kapuli govt must not condone informality otherwise anarchy will reign and we shall end up with houses built on top of septic tanks and soakaways or like that Lusaka house with a Zesco pole right in the living room!

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