Botswana:

Spot Improvements to Roads in Rural Areas

Description

The Direct Labour Branch of the Roads Department initiated a multi-purpose rural roads programme with the aim of removing, above all, bottlenecks in rural areas with a view to providing accessibility for 2-wheeldrive pick-ups all year round.

In a first project phase DORSCH CONSULT was charged with the execution of a feasibility study comprising technical, transport and economic components with regard to the design of standard types of low traffic river crossings at various locations across the country. The study embraced the aspects of transportation, water conservation, development economics, the basic needs and equality of remote rural areas, as well as the employment and promotion of the national engineering and construction industry, both in the public and private sectors.

In a second project phase DORSCH CONSULT was awarded a separate contract for site supervision services in connection with the implementation of other spot improvement measures. The measures,which were effected simultaneously at several sites separated by often considerable distances using labour-intensive construction, consisted largely of surface stabilization (gravel and sand), horizontal and vertical alignment, drainage, construction of culverts, etc.

The project was extended by a number of supplementary contracts covering design work and the preparation of tender documents for further improvement measures. In total the firm was in charge of 11 separate construction lots covering 660 km of roads.