By Staff Reporter
BIKITA – In a landmark development for rural infrastructure, Bikita Rural District Council has installed traffic lights at the intersection connecting the Mutare-Masvingo Highway to Nyika Growth Point, potentially becoming the first rural local authority in Masvingo Province to implement such urban-style traffic management.
The pioneering initiative, confirmed by Bikita RDC Chairperson Thomas Mataga, comes as a direct response to the alarming frequency of accidents at the busy junction.
Mataga explained that the council had observed persistent challenges with motorists navigating the intersection, particularly those traveling along the highway and others entering or exiting the growth point.
“We have witnessed numerous accidents at this intersection where motorists were failing to give way to each other. This traffic light system is a safety measure implemented using council resources to protect both drivers and pedestrians,” said Mataga.
The council is not stopping at traffic lights in its road safety campaign. Mataga revealed that plans were underway to install speed humps several hundred meters from the intersection near Gwindingwi High School, where speeding vehicles have endangered learners.
Additional safety measures are also planned along the highway near Rupare Secondary School and Mandadzaka Primary School, where learners regularly cross the road and face similar risks from fast-moving traffic.
The introduction of traffic lights has drawn positive reactions from road users, including self-described pirate taxi driver known as Gidza, who acknowledged the development’s significance despite its potential impact on his quick passenger pick-ups.
“Though it might slow us down as pirate taxis who usually rush to pick up passengers, this is a noble development that guarantees safety for all motorists and pedestrians. Who would have imagined that a rural growth point like ours could have traffic lights typically seen in urban areas?” he said.
The installation represents a significant step in modernizing rural infrastructure and addresses critical safety concerns while setting a new standard for traffic management in provincial growth points.
