Spaghetti junction behind schedule
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Monday June 20, 2016 08:49
Contrite Ministry of Transport and Communications officials informed the commuinty Saturday that the construction of the spaghetti is significantly behind schedule. The interchange is currently at 39.7% against the planned 60.5% status while the Francistown-Tonota dual carriageway that was supposed to have been completed late last year, is 89% complete.
The city’s captains of industry expressed their imaptience with the tardiness of contractors as they had anticipated the roads to ease traffic flow and help attract potential customers to their businesses.
New routes that would be introduced to divert the flow of traffic and the closure of some routes that are now in use further dampened the hopes of the entrepreneurs. The new developments would be carried out to enable the contractor spped up work on the spaghetti road.
Already there are complaints that the construction of the interchange is causing unbearable traffic congestion in the city centre, particularly during peak hours.
Most notably, public transport operators have bemoaned that the traffic jam caused by the construction of the interchange is and continues to negatively affect their businesses. During a stakeholder meeting at Thapama Hotel on Friday, former Tonota Member of Parliament who is also a public transport operator, Pono Moatlhodi, bitterly complained that the construction of the spaghetti road has greatly inconvenienced the transport industry as they were now making losses. “When we lose customers in our businesses it leads to lack of income. If the situation continues, we will in the long run be left with no option but to retrench our workers in order to stay profitable,” said Moatlhodi. Moatlhodi said in business, time and money mattered the most, adding that if the road was complete, it would help them serve their customers efficiently and at the same time make better profit.
He also appealed to the Department of Roads to construct a temporary taxi rank, which would reduce the traffic congestion at the current bus and taxi rank. Another entrepreneur, Iqbal Ibrahim shared Moatlhodi’s sentiments. He pleaded with the contractor to increase the pace at which they are constructing the interchange road. Ibrahim added that if the project is delayed further, it would worsen the traffic congestion. He, however, dismissed the plan for the new routes saying that they are going to endanger people’s lives. “I am concerned about the newly planned road from Nzano Mall to Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital because it is tricky and requires more time to reach the hospital. More patients will die before receiving medical assistance in the hospital,” he said. When responding to the stakeholders, the chief roads engineer of North East, Letlhogela Radipata apologised for the delay of the project.
He said that they are aware of the complications caused by the delay of the Thapama interchange construction in different businesses and organisations. Radipata mentioned that the project is behind schedule because of the relocation of underground water and electricity pipes. He disclosed that they are experiencing constraints in the construction of the interchange as the design took a long time to complete. Radipata said that they were also hindered by the migration of Somerset East residents who were initally reluctant to relocate from the construction area.