Passengers travelling to and from Rubavu District can now breathe a sigh of relief after the district management endorsed a project to build a Rwf7bn modern Taxi Park in Rubavu City centre, one of the six secondary cities.
The new Taxi Park, according to officials, is a sustainable remedy to congestion that has characterized the current bus terminal which was also dilapidated.
The project was recently approved by Rubavu District Advisory Council which awarded the tender to Jali Holdings Group.
The district stake will be a plot of land where the park will be built, as per the advisory council’s resolutions.
Addressing journalists, Rubavu District mayor, Gilbert Habyarimana revealed that constructing the park was among the district’s top priorities within 2019/2020 fiscal year as part of multi-sectoral efforts meant to revitalize Rubavu City.
"If you look at the day-to-day traffic jam, that’s when you realise that we urgently need a modern taxi park; We have decided to speed up this project as we already have a contractor who wants to start as soon as possible given the fact the council has already endorsed the project,” he noted.
Habyarimana further assured that the project will be completed and won’t suffer the same fate as the project to construct a modern market. He stressed that the feasibility studies were thoroughly carried out to be efficient.
The New Times learnt that the district was in the process of compensating residents around the area where the new taxi park will be constructed to pave way for construction activities that are expected to commence soon.
The new taxi park will be built in Bugoyi Cell, Gisenyi Sector.
Residents upbeat
Residents in Rubavu District notably passengers and drivers welcomed the project to build a modern taxi park saying it was timely.
"We are happy with the decision to build a modern taxi park, previously one would always grapple with finding where to shelter while waiting for a taxi, especially during the rainy season,” said Solange Uwamahirwe, a passenger
Jean Paul Nsengiyumva, a driver, echoed Uwamahirwe sentiments’ saying: "No travel agency is allowed to have two vehicles in this bus terminal as it is too small”.