Maputo — The Mozambican Minister of Public Works, Carlos Mesquita, has announced that the country has 50 million US dollars available to rehabilitate 27 kilometres of two sections of the country's main north-south highway (EN1).

The rehabilitation work, which is funded by the Saudi Development Fund, should have begun in May. However, according to the authorities, the launch of the public tender to select the company that will carry out the work has failed as a result of demands made by the World Bank.

"With the postponement imposed by the World Bank, the tender is expected to be launched at the end of June or, at worst, in the first week of August', Mesquita told reporters last Friday.

The amount will rehabilitate the stretch between Benfica and Zimpeto, on the outskirts of Maputo City, and between the 3rd February village and Incoluane, in Maputo Province.

The road, Mesquita said, cited in Monday's issue of the independent newssheet "Carta de Mocambique', will have four lanes, two in each direction, including pavements, pedestrian bridges and public lighting.

"This situation must be resolved as a matter of urgency. Very soon we'll be launching the tender to hire the consultants who will be working with our teams. The National Roads Administration (ANE) will prepare the specifications and launch the tender for the contract', he said.

"Whether it starts this year all depends on the results of the analyses we'll have of the soils and the issues of occupation of the road reserve areas, which is a major problem we have .There are still no dates for the work to begin. What is guaranteed is funding, and various studies and negotiations are already under way to carry out the work', he added.

The rehabilitation of other damaged sections of EN1, covering 1,053 kilometres, is budgeted at 850 million dollars and it is planned to take place in three phases.