THE Mbudzi Interchange is set to miss its completion date with revelations that some property owners have not been compensated to pave way for the project.
A NewsDay investigation revealed that the houses have not been demolished as a result, thus slowing progress.
Government bureaucrats had said the Mbudzi Interchange was set to be completed by July 31.
In interviews with workers at the site, NewsDay gathered that it would take a miracle to finish the mammoth project within set deadlines.
“The contractors are tied by the government’s failure to compensate some property owners. There were close to 51 property owners with title deeds,” said a senior worker at the site.
“Government has compensated 46 property owners out of the 51, it’s the five that have not been compensated and this affects the work.”
One of the property owners confirmed that they have not been compensated.
“We met with government officials and agreed on the framework on how we were going to be compensated but we have not been paid,” he said.
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Speaking during post-Cabinet briefing on Tuesday, Information minister Jenfan Muswere revealed that the project is just above 60% complete.
“The construction of the Mbudzi Interchange has reached 63% completion level,” he said.
The Mbudzi Interchange is being constructed by Tefoma Construction, a joint venture comprising local firms Tensor Systems, Fossil Contracting and Masimba.
The project is being funded through a loan from Fossil Mines (Private) Limited, the parent company of Fossil Contracting.
The Mbudzi junction along the Harare-Masvingo Highway is being upgraded to an interchange involving the major roads of High Glen, Simon Mazorodze and Chitungwiza.
Currently, it can take up to three hours to pass through the Mbudzi junction during peak hours due to traffic congestion.
The project involves the construction of a three-tier grade-separated intersection with 13 major bridge structures, several of which have been finished while others are at different stages of completion.
The project is complementary to the ongoing Harare-Beitbridge Highway rehabilitation project.
The two schemes will help to ease the movement of traffic in the North-South corridor to and from South Africa
