Maputo Ring Road tolls: Work lags behind schedule

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Maputo Ring Road tolls: Work lags behind schedule

8:08 CAT | 20 Aug 2021

Photo: O Pais

Construction work on the Maputo Ring Road tolls, scheduled to start operating in July or August, is running late. It is highly probable that the deadlines will not be met.

Since the start of construction work on the four Maputo Ring Road tolls, it has never been known how much the infrastructure will cost, let alone the deadlines for completion of the works. On none of the tolls has a sign with such indications been raised.

Even without these elements, the chairman of the Mozambique Road Network (REVIMO) guaranteed that the tolls would be in operation by July or August. But the field work shows that they are still far from ready.

No one says anything about this problem, which characterises many state projects – the failure to meet deadlines. The Mozambique Road Network, concessionaire for the Maputo Ring Road and the Maputo-KaTembe bridge, has never been available to the press regarding issues relating to the toll works, but what is certain is that the deadline set by REVIMO is only two weeks away. Until then, users can only wait for the completion of the works.

Even though it remained closed to the press, REVIMO was forced to concede to the clarification of fees to be applied at tolls, explaining that drivers will only pay only one toll, at that time being given a password for free passage at the others. The amount to be paid is not yet known, but motorists are happy with the method of payment.

“If we are to pay only one toll, the initiative is welcome, because it would be suffocating for us to pay at all (four) tolls,” said Valentim Nhantumbo, a user of the Maputo Ring Road. Fellow motorist Valentim Vasco concurs, adding: “A feasibility study was carried out in order to reach such a conclusion.”

Furthermore, regular users will get a discount of up to 40%. “That will help us, because we are regular users of this route. Paying the full fee every day would be unsustainable,” Helena Afonso told ‘O País’

In fact, this is nothing new, says David Mabote. “This is what is done at many tollbooths. Motorists who use tolls with some regularity receive discounts on the amounts they pay. Those [tolls] in the provinces of Maputo and KaTembe work this way,” he notes.

As to why four tolls are being built, but payment exacted at only one, the chairman of the National Road Fund told ‘O País’ a few months ago that the idea was to capture as many paying users as possible, given that the Maputo Ring Road is so open and has so many access points.

By Dario Cossa

Source: O País