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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

GOVERNMENT has started rehabilitating Binga-Cross Dete and Binga-Siabuwa roads under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP2).

On the 150km Binga-Cross Dete road, works involve pothole patching while grading has been done on the Binga-Siabuwa 80km road stretch which is set to be tarred in three phases.

The Binga-Siabuwa road connects to Karoi in Mashonaland West and Gokwe in Midlands and is key for industrialisation and transportation in Binga.

Binga-Cross Dete road is a busy highway as it links the district to the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway at Cross Dete.

Binga has untapped potential in tourism while the new coal mine that is being opened in ward 12 will also need a reliable road network.

The Binga-Cross Dete road had become impassable as it now took more than three hours to drive on the road when it used to be slightly more than an hour on average.

Some public transport operators were shunning the road because of potholes which were damaging vehicles and making driving a nightmare.

The road was badly damaged between Kamativi and Tinde, Saba and Sianzyundu and between Manjolo and Binga centre.

A drive along to road recently showed that from Kamativi to Malaliya and Tinde, as well as around Simbala and from Kariangwe turn-off to Saba and some parts around Manjolo have been patched.

A news crew observed that in some areas road sides has also been rehabilitated.

The road is almost a single strip on most parts because of damage by trucks.

Speaking in Sinakoma, Binga recently, Matabeleland North Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Richard Moyo said road rehabilitation work is underway.

“The road between Binga and Siabuwa will be tarred up to Karoi in Mashonaland West. It is currently being worked on and teams will start from different parts so that there is progress,” said Minister Moyo.

A news crew observed that there is some equipment that include tipper trucks and escavators that have been assembled at Siabuwa turn-off for the word works.