By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA –
THE Parliamentary Committee on Estimates has urged mining houses to work with the Zambia Railways Ltd (ZRL) in ensuring that heavy cargo from the mines is transported via the  railway line to save the roads from continuous damage.
Committee chairperson Highvie Hamududu said the mines should be seen to be committed to the national agenda of saving the roads from damage by way of them working with ZRL in ensuring that the heavy cargo responsible for damage of the roads begins to be transported through the railway line.
Mr Hamududu who is Bwengwa constituency Member of Parliament said the Government was spending colossal sums of money on the maintenance of roads and as such, there was need for mines to help preserve them.
He said this when the committee undertook an inspection of ZRL projects being implemented using money from the Euro Bond that was given to the railway firm.
Among the projects ZRL channeled money from the Euro Bond is the inter-mine railway connective which the committee inspected at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) Nkana plant before proceeding to inspect the line from Kitwe to Chingola.
Mr Hamududu hoped that the mines, without being compelled, are going to be committed enough to the national agenda of lifting the heavy cargo off the roads to the railway.
“This is going to be a mark of good corporate citizenship as you know maintenance of roads is costly and we don’t have the money,” Mr Hamududu said.
He said if the mines would be seen not to be cooperating with ZRL, as leaders, they would be compelled to come up with legislation to enforce the move.