The government has announced plans to construct an airport at the Beitbridge border post, while existing ones and some aerodromes are set for a major upgrade and expansion, in a move aimed at easing travelling across the country, while promoting domestic and international tourism.

Investor confidence locally and internationally has triggered Zimbabwe’s new administration into action with the government now set to ease mobility in the country by targeting the airline industry through constructing new airports and upgrading the existing ones.

In an interview on the sidelines of a meeting with road authorities in Bulawayo, the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Dr Joram Gumbo said his ministry seeks to enhance tourism by making travelling easy, with the border town of Beitbridge set to have a new airport not in the so distant future.

On the much awaited Masvingo-Chirundu highway dualisation project, Dr Gumbo said the actual works had been delayed by administrative issues when ZIMRA barred contractors from bringing old equipment.

He however said construction works will commence by March this year as the constructor has since procured new machinery.

Dr Gumbo announced that the country’s national road authority (ZINARA) has doubled the road maintenance and rehabilitation fund from $124 million disbursed last year to $232 million this year in a move likely to see a major transformation of the country’s roads under the administration of local authorities.