26 Feb 2019

Construction of a bridge in Moshupa, which was destroyed by floods in 2017 is 60 per cent complete.

Speaking in an interview, Department of Roads spokesperson, Ms Doreen Moapare, said the structure was initially a large culvert which was destroyed while it was being widened to match the new width of the road. 

Ms Moapare said the bridge construction was the first package of the Output and Performance-based Roads Contracts (OPRC) pilot project in Southern District.

OPRC was born out of the need for application of modern methods of road asset management, minimize repetitive procurement, reduce in-house costs, avoid premature deterioration of the road infrastructure and improve road safety as well as increase efficiency and effectiveness of road operations. 

She further noted that the OPRCs were a component of the Botswana Integrated Transport Project (BITP), adding that the estimated cost for the BITP was US$385 million (about P4 billion).

 OPRC was piloted in a network of 336km in Southern District roads network and parts of Kweneng District. 

She highlighted that after the collapse of the culvert, it was decided that it should be replaced with a bridge structure with an improved capacity.

Government incurred the costs of construction of the bridge done by Elsamex- ITNL JVCA, she indicated that the project which started on June 2018 was expected to be complete in April. ends