… Nalumino Mundia.
Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Minister, Hon. Eng. Charles Lubasi Milupi has today commissioned the upgraded Mweeke Toll Station along the Mongu-Lusaka Road and renamed it after Zambia’s former freedom fighter and Prime Minister, Nalumino Mundia.
Mr. Mundia also served as the fourth Prime Minister from 18th February 1981 to 24th April 1985.
Hon. Eng. Milupi said the simplified Mweeke Toll Station was upgraded to Class B by the Road Development Agency (RDA) at a cost of K7.3 million.
He commended the RDA for undertaking the project inhouse and at the right cost.
RDA Board of Directors Chairperson, Eng. Mulchand Kuntawala said in 2019, the Western Province Office of the Agency constructed three simplified tolling stations in the Province.
….utilize our own engineer
“Works of such nature have proved to be cost effective as we utilize our own engineers, allied staff and equipment,” Eng. Kuntawala said.
Eng. Kuntawala said the Agency will continue where necessary to undertake works using its human resources and expertise as has been done in the construction of a number of ACROW bridges across the country.
He said this was truly the surest way of ensuring that technical skills are enhanced within the RDA’S workforce.
“A huge number of projects including the installation of ACROW Bridges across the country and the rehabilitation of some of the critical roads have been systematically embarked on, from the time the new dawn Government took office over three years ago using internal generated funds.
…. as initial stage
Eng. Kuntawala said one of them was Mweeke Tolling Station along the Mongu-Lusaka, M9 Road; the second one at Tapo along the Mongu-Kalabo Road and the third one at Lui along Senanga-Sesheke, M10 Road.
He said this was done as an initial stage in the implementation and rolling out of the tolling programme in order to collect the funds for sustainable road maintenance.
“These simplified tolling stations were, however, found not to be adequate due to increased traffic volume and not suitable under the various weather conditions. The Government through the RDA and the NRFA decided to upgrade these tolling stations to make them user friendly and also enhance the security features,” he said.
He said the toll facility being commissioned was undertaken inhouse by the RDA Provincial Office in Western province.
….despite the financial challenges
“The Agency continues to roll out new projects in line with the financial envelope available. All this is despite the financial challenges that the country has been grappling with over the last three years,” he said.
The RDA is mandated through the Tolls Act No. 14 of 2011 to amongst other functions to establish and provide for the operations of toll roads and provide for the charging and collection of tolls.
Through these provisions in the law, the RDA appointed the National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) as its lead tolling Agent to operate the toll plazas, collect the toll fees and transmit the funds to the Ministry of Finance and National Planning.
