Leemisa Thuseho
THE Roads Directorate has mobilized about M1,2 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of roads in the current 2023/24 fiscal year, the institution’s director general, Teboho Mokhoane, has said.
Addressing a press conference at the Roads Directorate’s offices in Maseru yesterday, Mr Mokhoane said the funds had been mobilized from several sources including the government of Lesotho which had contributed about M730 million. The Import and Export Bank of China had chipped in with a concessional loan of M216 million, to be used for the finishing of the upgrading of the Mpiti to Sehlabathebe road in the Qacha’s Nek district.
Road Fund Lesotho had contributed M179 million while the World Bank had come in with M106 million.
Mr Mokhoane listed a number of projects the Directorate would invest in including the Tebellong bridge in Qacha’s Neck, the Koro-Koro bridge in Maseru, which was swept away by heavy rainfalls two years ago, the Tsoaing bridge in Matelile, and the Ha Jimisi mini bridge construction in Maseru.
Mr Mokhoane added they had also – in their plans for this year, included the maintenance of major junctions in Maseru at Lakeside, Thabong, Ha-Motšoeneng, Mookoli, Ha-Hoohlo, Lekhoaloaneng and Masieanokeng.
“We are also going to continue with the upgrading and rehabilitation of Marakabei (Thaba-Tseka) to Monontša (Butha-Buthe) road and Ha-Mpiti to Sehlabathebe road in Qacha’s Nek…we are hoping to complete those roads this year,” Mr Mokhoane said.
He said they also planned the rehabilitation and resealing of Kofi Annan Moshoeshoe Roads in Maseru.
Mr Mokhoane said the bad conditions of Lesotho’s roads required approximately M14 billion for rehabilitation in a period of seven to 10 years.
On her part, the Roads Directorate’s acting director for road network maintenance, Mpho Mphahama, said they “will continue with the routine road maintenance project named ‘Mokoari’”, which focused on mainly paved roads linking the country’s 10 districts.
The routine maintenance included amongst other things the filling of potholes, clearing of rock debris on tarred roads, drainages, cleaning of site rails and cutting of grass and bushes near the roads.
“Last year we started the routine maintenance project on our main roads across the country, therefore we are going to continue with that project in this financial year,” Ms Mphahama said.
“This fiscal year we will re-gravel the Taung Ha-Makunyapane to Matebeng road in Thaba-Tseka district, and the Ha-Kepi to Tele-Khunoana gravel road in Teyateyaneng, Berea district will also be upgraded. In Mohale’s Hoek it will be the Tsoloane to Ha-Khitšane Road,” she said.
In Maseru, she said they will upgrade streets lights on the Main South 1 Road from the Maseru main circle to Thabong and the ones on the Main North 1 road from main circle to Lakeside.
