Despite what is happening on the political front in the country, all is not gloom in many places like Ndola where transporters and travellers using the Broadway ‘Inter-city Bus Station’ can now breathe a collective sigh of relief.
Why? The answer is simple: Those ugly potholes that once made the place look like scenes from a war zone are no more. They have almost disappeared overnight like mist in the early morning sun.
Yes, the sun is rising over the friendly City of Ndola which has experienced an upsurge in new developments in every direction from its core – the central business district (CBD) – to the periphery in the East, West, North, and South.
Things are certainly getting better all-round in the Copperbelt’s provincial capital.
From the revamped Ndola Central Hospital Roundabout to the Broadway Inter-City Bus Station, travellers to the Midlands (Kabwe and Lusaka) wishing to avoid the maddening congestions experienced particularly on the Dag Hammarskjoeld Drive-Airport Road via the Under-bridge, now have an alternative route at their disposal. Instead of using the Under-bridge, motorists can now drive down Moffat Street, which runs between the Savoy Hotel and Tazama House, cross the President Avenue; continue straight ahead until they reach the newly opened channel that ends at a T-junction in front of the Kafubu Water Works on the Chipulukusu Township Road.
Like many motorists, I have found this link road useful as it is a short-cut when travelling to Simon Kapwepwe International Airport and beyond; Ndola Lime Company or the nearby Ndola Boating and Sailing Club and Zesco District Offices.
In fact, for a visitor arriving in Ndola either by air or road and wants to book a room at the new-look Savoy Hotel, or call at the Zambian Breweries and Zambia Railways on President Avenue north, I would not hesitate to recommend this route because it is not only shorter but traffic on this road also flows smoothly.
For motorists proceeding to other Copperbelt towns like Kitwe, and similarly wish to avoid the ever congested Nkana Road via the Kabufu River and Ndola Golf Club, I would recommend the Jacaranda Mall-Masala-Lubuto West-Twapia link road.
This is another recently introduced route, which is also helping to decongest Ndola city roads. Instead of using the Nkana Road, via the NCH traffic circle, ordinary motorists, including long-haul trucks ferrying cargo to and fro destinations like Solwezi in the North western Province or Lubumbashi in Shaba (Katanga) Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), will find the Jacaranda-Twapia route particularly faster.
I recently undertook a participant-observation survey on this important artery into and out of the city and was pleasantly surprised to find that although it passes through the densely populated Masala, Kabushi, Mushili, Lubuto West and Twapia townships, it was faster and safer too.
The only snag is that the robots at the Skyways-Jacaranda Mall junction have not been functioning for a long time and relevant stakeholders do not seem to be in a hurry to repair them.
As a result, traffic is often held up unnecessarily for a considerable period of time as motorists jostle for the right-of-way. One way of trying to resolve the crisis is for the Zambia Police Service to assign a traffic officer or two to direct traffic there 24/7.
Presently customers going for shopping at the mall experience much difficulty entering or joining the main roads at the shopping complex. Jacaranda Mall’s proprietors and their agents may want to ‘chip in’ and do something about it. If there are legal implications, surely management can always approach Government or, better still, the Ndola City Council authorities so an amicable solution to the problem could be found.
The same applies to the situation prevailing at the 40, 000-capacity Levy Mwanawasa Stadium where chaos is always the order of the day particularly during international matches involving either the Zambian National Team (Chipolopolo) or Zesco United FC, which uses the arena as its home ground.
Located along the busy Ndola-Kitwe Dual carriageway, the area is vulnerable to traffic accidents. In fact it is a miracle that no major accident has taken place there because speeding motorists – who enjoy the right of way – rarely give vehicles transporting soccer fans back to their respective towns and cities, a chance to rejoin the highway.
The situation gets even more dangerous for pedestrians, including parents shepherding their little children across the dual carriageway. It is hair-raising something needs to be done urgently to avert disaster.
Funds permitting, authorities could consider erecting some form of suspension bridges across the dual carriage, which pedestrians on both sides could use when going to or returning from soccer matches at the multi-million Kwacha stadium.
Alternatively, a ‘spaghetti’ bridge, with an allowance for free-ways, encompassing the present Ndola-Mufulira roundabout, presently under renovation, could be the panacea in the longer term.
These were some of the thoughts that occupied my mind at the end of the Zesco- Asec Mimosa Africa Championship encounter that I watched about a month ago.
This brings me to the situation at the Premium Plaza. While their Broadway Inter-City Bus Station counterparts have refurbished their environment for the benefit of the traveller and transport operator alike, the Plaza ‘sheiks’ do not seem to be in a hurry to do something before the rainy season sets in.
In a month or two, the wet season will be upon us and the Premium Plaza shopping area, which is still characterised by gaping potholes, will once again be covered in floodwaters. With marketeers selling their vegetables and other wares along shop corridors, it is hard to imagine what the place will look like when it starts to rain cats and dogs ahead of the festive season in December.
Ndola is taking on a fresh look all-round and Premium Plaza owners should strive to be part of the ’rebirth’ as their Broadway counterparts have demonstrated. The perennial cry of lack of adequate funds is no longer tenable. Am I being unfair? Well,  I don’t know.
Meanwhile, I say well done Broadway chiefs for setting the pace but please do one more thing: provide passengers with proper sanitary facilities, including ablution blocks, which are totally missing at present. A mobile facility would suffice given the limited space available along Broadway.
Comments: alfredmulenga777@gmail.com