Maravi

RDA re-advertises tenders for Kitwe township roads

RDA re-advertises tenders for Kitwe township roads
Written by Katwishi Bwalya in Chongwe
Friday, July 03, 2009 3:15:30 PM

THE Road Development Agency (RDA) has re-advertised tenders for the construction of township roads on the Copperbelt following excessive pricing in the tender bids submitted earlier by various contractors. RDA head of Public Relations Loyce Saili said it was unacceptable for contractors to bid as high as K6 billion for a kilometer of the roads.

In an interview after a conducted tour of the Great East and the Kafue-Mazabuka roads on Wednesday, Saili said this prompted the RDA to re-advertise the tenders so that the contractors could come up with reasonable prices.

“We decided to re-advertise the bids after we received unrealistic bids and they were charging as high as K6 billion [per kilometer] and that is why we decided to re-advertise because that was too much,” Saili said. “We expected the bids to be realistic though we know that they [contractors] need to make a profit also but what is important is that they should charge what we are able to pay so that we get value for our money.”

Saili said the cost of building roads had gone up in the country because there were a few players on the market who were competing against each other.

And the RDA is this year expected to construct weigh bridges in five districts at a cost of K12 billion to reduce on overloading.

Saili said the weigh bridges would be constructed in Livingstone, Kafue, Kazungula, Mpika and Solwezi.

She further said the country had seen a reduction in overloading due to the implementation of the Axle Load Programme.

“We have what we are calling as an Axle Load Programme which we are using to reduce on over loading on our roads because that is the major cause of damage to our roads in the country and we are also enforcing the legislation on over loading and anyone who evades a weigh bridge, they pay a fine of US $200,” said Saili.

Labels: RDA, ROADS, TENDER OFFERS

posted by MrK @ 2:16 PM