.Sikwela
By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
PART of the Broadway road in Ndola, that is under construction, will be opened to the public to help ease the traffic congestion that the works have caused, Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Howard Sikwela has said.
Reverend Sikwela said after he toured the road works that part of Broadway from President Avenue North-end, to the Roundabout, would be opened by tomorrow.
He said many residents and business houses had expressed concern that the construction works were taking too long and it was inconvenience to them.
“This is an important road that cannot be done hastily. We have however discussed with the contractor to open up part of the road up to the roundabout in about two days time,” Rev Sikwela said.
He said he was happy that the company constructing the road, China Jiangxi Corporation, had decided as part of its corporate social responsibility, to construct a bus station at Broadway.
Government was also planning on constructing a climbing lane on Nkana Road where near the Ndola Golf Club and Kafubu Shopping Mall to enable motorists move faster.
On the Pave Zambia 2000 project on the Copperbelt, Reverend Sikwela said works would begin next month.
He said the equipment was in Ndola and the trials had started.
The Pave Zambia 2000 equipment in Ndola had tipper trucks, low beds, graders, loader, a curing bay, as well as securing ponds that had been constructed.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Ndola District Commissioner Rebby Chanda explained to Ndola residents at a public meeting at the Broadway roundabout, that the road which was part of the Ndola-Kitwe dual carriageway needed replacing.
Mr Chanda said the road was 50 years old and that was why it was removed and was being replaced with a permanent structure which would meet the traffic demands.
He said the construction works would also include replacement of water pipes.
Kafubu Water and Sewerage Company had agreed with China Jiangxi Corporation to share 50 per cent of the K290 thousand required to replace the water pipes along Broadway.
However the residents, especially the business houses said they were concerned that the contractor was slow in its operations.
They said the contractor should increase its working hours to accelerate the pace of work.
