August 25, 2005
By Mamello Makgana
BARALINK Phase 4 has been given the green light, with the City's approval of R30-million for its construction, to begin towards the end of the current financial year.
The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) is the development manager of the project that will see the upgrading of the area with the building of two new taxi ranks and market stalls for informal traders at the main loading area of the Soweto taxi rank, opposite Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital.
Known as the Baragwanath Public Transport Facility and Traders Market, the project is playing an important role in the economic development of the area.
As stated by the JDA, many Soweto residents pass through the rank to get to and from work, and the Old Potchefstroom Road is one of the country's busiest transport nodes.
JDA development manager Robert Bathke said work on Phase 4 would be undertaken in two sub-phases. Phase 4A, building the trading stalls, retail outlets, ablutions, and offices, would be undertaken in this financial year. "Only a component of the requested funding was made available this financial year, resulting in the necessity to split Phase 4 of the project into Phase 4A and Phase 4B. The R30-million will be used to complete Phase 4A."
He added, "The construction of the new taxi ranks [Phase 4B] will be in the following financial year of 2006/07. The ranks will have 129 single-lane bays and 91 double-lane bays, respectively. It is expected that the phase will be completed by June 2007."
The realignment of the Old Potchefstroom Road towards the main pedestrian bridge to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital was the first phase of the project and was completed in 2003.
Phase 2 consisted of the first taxi loading area, which comprises more than 220 single-lane bays, a trading area and small offices.
Phase 1 cost approximately R10.5-million, with Phase 2 costing approximately R18.5-million.
Phase 3, which is still under construction, will see the addition of 216 taxi bays, 20 bus bays and 25 long-distance taxi bays.
Phase 5 consists of work on the pedestrian bridges and the installation of CCTV cameras and lighting along the Old Potchefstroom Road, for the safety of commuters and pedestrians.
Permission to use web site material
Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as:
- Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website
(www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency
(www.joburg.org.za)";
- If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original
article on this website;
- The name of the article's author is acknowledged;
-
The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill
in this brief online form).
Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 |
