Government has announced plans to protect portions of the newly rehabilitated Victoria Falls–Bulawayo Road from damage caused by overloaded trucks, with plans to construct weighbridges and shift bulk cargo transport from road to rail.
Transport and Infrastructural Development minister Felix Mhona told the National Assembly recently that weighbridge infrastructure was being prioritised along the key tourism and freight corridor to preserve the road and ensure its long-term sustainability.
Mhona said the contractor responsible for Lot 7 of the Victoria Falls–Bulawayo Road project had been tasked with rehabilitating the weighbridge at the Hwange Vehicle Inspection Department depot, which serves as a major checkpoint for heavy vehicles using the route.
He added that the ministry was also upgrading toll gates into modern toll plazas between Hwange and Victoria Falls, as well as between Lupane and Gwayi, with integrated weighbridge facilities to strengthen enforcement against overloading.
“We are in the process of upgrading existing toll gates into modern toll plazas… each designed to incorporate heavy vehicle weighbridge facilities,” Mhona said.
The intervention follows concerns raised by Hwange East legislator Joseph Bonda, who warned that sections of the newly rehabilitated road were already being damaged by heavy trucks, particularly along extended detours used during ongoing construction works.
Bonda said overloaded trucks were destroying portions of the road even before the project was officially completed, placing national infrastructure investments at risk.
In response, Mhona said government was adopting a broader strategy that goes beyond weighbridge installation to safeguard road infrastructure.
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He said the ministry was resuscitating and capacitating road maintenance units while also pursuing plans to recapitalise the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) to shift bulk cargo transport from roads to rail.
“The government’s broader plan to recapitalise the National Railways of Zimbabwe is aimed at enhancing the movement of bulk goods by rail rather than by road, a key long-term measure in reducing excessive wear on our highways,” Mhona said.
He said shifting heavy cargo to rail would significantly reduce pressure on highways and help preserve costly road infrastructure.
Mhona also said contractors were working to expedite construction works and ensure officials were deployed to monitor vulnerable sections of the road around the clock.
Gwanda North legislator Desire Nkala also sought clarification on detour regulations, with Mhona explaining that while there is no fixed legal length, detours typically range between five and 10 kilometres, depending on construction requirements.
The Victoria Falls–Bulawayo Road is a critical economic corridor linking Zimbabwe’s prime tourism destination to the rest of the country and facilitating regional trade and mineral transportation.
