Africa-Press – Mozambique. Maputo city and province may soon institute new opening hours for some services in order to alleviate pressure on the transport and traffic system and increase the fluidity of the commercial network.
Under a proposal from the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC), the staggering of schedules would cover public service, commerce, educational institutions and health units.
In effect, civil servants would be expected to work from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm, compared to the current working hours of 7.30 am to 3.30 pm, while schools and universities are expected to open doors between 7.00 am and 8.00 pm.
The schedule covers other sectors such as health units, which will now open from 6:30 am to 5:30 pm; retail trade, from 9 am to 7 pm; and large supermarkets, from 9 am to 8 pm.
According to the proposal, primary education, the private sector, banking and insurance and wholesale trade would maintain their current hours of operation.
The proposal for staggered working hours arises from the need to reduce passenger waiting and travel time during rush hours, as well as accidents, pollution and driver stress, especially in the mornings.
The proposal results from a study carried out by the Ministry of Transport and Communications, which established that the average travel time in the Greater Maputo Metropolitan Area had increased in ten years, and the number of vehicles entering the city had doubled.
Furthermore, the number of people traveling to the city of Maputo from neighbouring municipalities increased from 350,000 to more than 600,000.
It is believed that just one hour of ‘staggering’ could decrease the number of commuters during morning peaks by 55,000.
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