With a good commuter rail system, far more suburban development could be moved to the surrounding towns of Chitungwiza, Ruwa, Marondera, Norton and, in the not too distant future, Mazowe. This is what the master plan for the area calls for.
It is still possible to have belts of farm and recreational land between Harare and all these towns, with the exception of Ruwa, which already abuts on the city. Other countries have found the dangers of letting their largest city just spread and spread until few residents can have any easy connection with the countryside and travel around the metropolitan sprawl becomes a nightmare.
It has been found to be far better to let new development spread to a surrounding ring of towns and do this in time, before people start fleeing to the outer suburbs to escape the horrors of a city that has grown so big that it is choking in its own vastness.
Such planning requires excellent commuter transport, with rail generally found to be the best. All Harare's present "satellite" towns, except Chitungwiza, are on the lines of rail so it would not be too difficult to upgrade the present inadequate service into something that all can be proud of.
Plans for the Chitungwiza commuter railway, with its route through Harare's crowded south-western suburbs, have been on the cards for more than 20 years. It is time it was built.
The NRZ needs to do a careful costing, and a careful prediction of revenue based on its experience, and present a detailed plan to the Government.
Source: The Herald
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