WINDHOEK – Taking into account the escalation in the number of people living in and around the Havana informal settlement, the City of Windhoek is about to embark on the expansion and tarring of some gravel roads in the area.
The City of Windhoek has embarked on the expansion and tarring of the Monte Cristo Road in Havana, as well other roads in the adjacent areas. The city’s manager of corporate communications, Joshua Amukugo, told New Era that N$47 million has been set aside for that purpose and that work on the project is expected to start this coming Saturday and would be completed within 18 months. “Altogether eight streets are earmarked for tarring although only Monte Cristo is earmarked for expansion,” said Amukugo. The streets earmarked for expansion and tarring are Omuvapu, Torra, Walvis Bay, Bethanie, Outapi and Tauno Hatuikulipi. These streets are in the Tobias Hainyeko, Moses //Garoëb and Samora Machel constituencies respectively. The building of an open market is also on the cards, Amukugo confirmed. Work on a stretch of about eight kilometres of the roads to be upgraded and the part of the Monte Cristo Road, which is to be upgraded and expanded would commence at the intersection of Matshitshi Street (Havana) until Outapi street (Havana), Amukugo said. Business people operating next to the Monte Cristo Road in Havana will be relocated to make way for the planned development. Amukugo explained that an alternative site was identified for the informal traders and added that the traders were also consulted and have agreed to be relocated to the new site.
“The alternative site identified will be initially used as is whereas possibilities for upgrading the site into a permanent market will be considered at a later stage. The population that side is growing at a fast rate and the level of congestion, particularly during peak hours is really unbearable and there is no way that we can ignore that,” said Amukugo. “We feel good about the tarring of the road. We have requested that for a very long time now,” said Havana resident, Johannes David. He said most people who commute to work and back were affected badly by the lack of tarred roads in the area, because they used to be dropped off where the tarred road ends. “Many people have to walk long distances because there are no tarred roads in Havana,” said David, and added, “now taxis will be able to drop people off closer to their homes when the gravel roads are tarred, because that would probably mean more taxi ranks. The question is just when will they (City of Windhoek) start with the construction, because there have been such talk for a long time now.”
By Alvine Kapitako