Africa-Press – Botswana. Segoditshane River is set to become the next urban productive asset that will reconnect Gaborone city with the Segoditshane River Corridor and positively transform the neglected aspects of riverfront while also protecting its natural ecosystem.
Briefing the media recently, Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) acting director, Mr Kebonyemodisa Ooke said the project would follow the expected allocation of about 400 mixed use plots by government along the Segoditshane River Corridor upon approval of the master plan issued by the DTCP.
Mr Ooke said the Segoditshane River Corridor Master Plan 2022, which was still under public scrutiny, would incorporate both commercial and residential plots, including a few for recreational activities.
“The plan looks to reactivate the river corridor because the river is not a safe place.
It recommends that a detailed river landscape study be carried out and also determine the appropriate river channel depth, width and ideal ponding points,” he said.
In addition, he said the plan endorsed the use of water retention ponds along the river as additional storage capacity during heavy rains.
Further, he said the plan detailed that mechanisms would be designed and built to control water movement in and out of the ponds, reducing velocity of surface runoff.
“This will take into account a comprehensive network to ensure that existing storm water drainage outlets ultimately deposit water into the dredged river channel should be developed,” he said.
Again, he indicated that the plan recommended that storm water be treated before reaching the river channel and have increased capacity of highway bridges to curb flooding in roads during heavy rainfall.
He emphasised that the 534.29 hectare corridor lay idle in the centre of the city with no economic gains, therefore had to be robustly developed to deduce value from it.
He explained that they were doing such with the intention to set up a recreational place for a myriad of projects that city dwellers would want to participate in.
“This will essentially drive job creation.
Most of our projects will be outsourced, as such we will have planning personnel on different expertise of infrastructure development,” he said.
Moreover, Mr Ooke mentioned that they would have cycling pads around the river and decent places where people could engage in gymnasium activities.
He added that one of the decisions the ministry had taken was to subject the implementation of the Segoditshane River Corridor plan to Public Private Partnership model, particularly in the infrastructure provision.
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
