THE Roads Authority (RA) Namibia has started the planning process for the upgrading of the Bukalo-Muyako-Ngoma (DR3507) and Silumbi-Sizimbukwa (DR3559) gravel roads in the Zambezi region to low volume seal standards.

The two roads in the Katima Mulilo Rural constituency are 60 and 15 kilometres long, respectively.

RA project control engineer Hartley Simasiku said during a public participation meeting held at Katima Mulilo on Wednesday that the upgrading of the roads will be beneficial to several villages in the area which will be more easily accessible.

The DR3559 will also create access to the Salambala Conservancy, he said.

"There are a lot of government schools along these routes, so we will also provide access by improving the drainage structures and alignments. We will not surface the access roads to these schools but will provide gravel access roads," he said.

The community will reap other benefits like social economy, easy access to health facilities, network connectivity, reduced travel costs, and lower maintenance costs for road users, he said.

In January, Bicon Namibia Engineering and Dream Engineering Joint Venture were appointed as consultants for the project, to do the designs and supervise the project, said Simasiku.

Bicon Namibia director and project leader Daniel Mtambalika said the planning period is anticipated to take about six months.

During this period, they will be surveying, doing material investigations, doing preliminary-detailed engineering design, and tendering, said Mtambalika.