Misery that is Oodi-Modipane Road

KAGISO ONKATSWITSE
Staff Writer | Friday April 27, 2012 00:00

 

Recently it was a school in Shakawe that was apparently constructed without brick force. But where were inspectors during the processe of construction? Is it not obvious that such massive projects taking millions should be monitored closely? Anyways, the school was handed to Government as usual and as normal as it is always.

However, with Odi-Modipane road is a sorry situation. Long time ago, there was an issue of space to widen the road. The problem was that the road borders very closely with a privately owned farm. Recently the road was given attention. Atleast now it is a narrow two-lane,. But when you are coming from Gaborone, and then you turn right from A1 high way to Odi, the drive becomes a nightmare even though the road is said to be newly improved.

By experiencing the road, it is like the road was allocated to students 'as their academic study project'. There are walls of sands on the side of the road. As one continues ahead, you will be greeted by piles of uncollected waste soil packed together on the edge of the road. The road is not smooth, it is uneven and too bumpy, even the solid yellow line on the edge of the road can easily reveal how the surface is. It seems the constructor filled the potholes. There are no bus stops, so bus and combie drivers stop anywhere on the side of the road.

According to one Semele Sebasa who runs a mini-bus business between Gaborone via Odi to Modipane, he finds the project so baffling and disappointing. Sebasa says he has been anticipating a better road that will benefit him economically, as his mini-bus would need lesser service due to an improved road. However he was left wondering what type of road has been constructed with bumpy surface. He says the constructors did not have the courtesy of clearing the piles of sand debris on the edge of the road, which at some point cause them trouble to stop for their clients.

He complained, saying as transport provider they also pay for roadworthiness fees, vehicle permits and special drivers permits. The money we pay for should be used to improve road infrustracture. But it looks like we are side line because we are from a small community area, he said. Sebasa lamented that the road was supposed to reduce damages in vehicles, but it is the same as before.

Another Modipane resident said she does not feel safe at all road. Lesego Modukanele says some time the road makes the car wonder all over the road due to its uneven and bumpy surface which can aid the car to collide with the opposite vehicle, it is so dangerous to drive in this road,' she said.

Sharing the same sentiments, a business man by the name Dabutha who is currently engaged in Tlokweng-Gaborone road, says he is shocked by the shoddy job done by the constructor. Dabutha who usually uses Odi-Modipane road on personal and business trips, says he see the road as 'too temporary'. 'First of all, what standard of road is it? This road can surely not be used for long term. I have observed that the constructors used hollow bricks in some culverts instead of stock bricks.

'When it is hot, the tar melts and you can actually see it flowing on the road surface,' he said. According to Dabutha, top soil has been used as the last layer on the road surface. Apparently crusher run is a gravel used as the last layer of the road before tar. In the state that this road is in, when you hit on a pot hole, the soil spits out, that is a typical use of top soil, he said. I suspect the road has not been inspected. Every 500 meters on a normal road, the inspectors must burrow a hole for inspection.

Then the holes will be covered with reflectors which are usually seen on the roads. If there are no reflectors for each 500 meteres, trust me, no inspection has been done, he said. Director at Departmentsof roads Kabo Kote, gave clarity and comment on the road. He said the road is temporary. The road is still to be constructed with proper bridges where necessary. Recently it has been only widen the same terrain to reduce fatality and number of accident which were rampant on the road. The current constructor has not finished what he was assigned to do, hence there are still piles of waste sand and debris alongside the road, he said. Kote reiterated that it would not be reasonable to overspeed on a road that would soon be demolished to pave way for a proper road.

He informed Mmegi that the new road which will be constructed is to start from Mmamashia turn-off to Sikwane junction, that joins the road that leads to Sikwane border post. However, this will take a while before the project commences due to budgeting and costs associated considerations.

Kote implores residents and members of the public who use Odi-Sikwane road to be patient and tolerant to the current state of the road.