ZRP, City of Harare in joint operation to deconges...

ZRP, City of Harare in joint operation to decongest Harare

Zim Now Writer

The Zimbabwe Republic Police and the City of Harare have launched joint operations aimed at mitigating traffic congestion at all the major intersections in the city during peak hours.

This comes as traffic congestion has become one of the biggest challenges dogging Harare, especially during peak hours.

The strategy will comprise full-time deployment of police officers at intersections that have faulty traffic signals as well as clamping down on pirate taxis, over and above restoring order at bus termini in the CBD.

It also emerged that Secretary of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Harare Metropolitan Province, Tafadzwa Muguti held a meeting with government ministries, departments and agencies involved in roads administration and traffic law enforcement following numerous complaints from residents over frustrating traffic jams and reckless drivers who tend to drive on pavements and oncoming traffic.

Cabinet has already issued a directive on the decongestion of Harare. A Cabinet Inter-ministerial committee has, as a result, directed that Muguti implements a number of guidelines to achieve the long-term goal of decongesting the capital.

One of the main is ensuring that all commuter omnibus operators get valid rank permits that will allow them to operate from their designated bus ranks and within operational times.

Council will publish the designated official bus termini in the City which all passengers ought to respect and board their buses from.

Also, the creation of a digital database of all commuter omnibus operators as part of the Local Authority Digital System, impounding of unlicensed and unroadworthy vehicles, as well as enforcing com-liance protocols at the operator’s cost are some of the measures that are expected to aid the realisation of this noble goal.

It has also been resolved that all drivers guilty of reckless and dangerous driving should be arrested on the spot and these include those who drive towards oncoming traffic.

Harare Metropolitan Province has underlined that it has a zero tolerance policy on lawlessness and corruption and said it is urging all drivers to respect the traffic laws of Zimbabwe and other motorists so as to avoid arrest and further inconveniences.