Olleh Rwanda will foot around Rwf50 million road rehabilitation costs after its employees accidently drilled into a high pressure water pipe that damaged the road connecting Rugando to Gishushu behind Simba Supermarket.

The workers were in the process of laying 4G LTE fiber optic cables for the internet service provider.

In the meantime, traffic to Gishushu junctions and or Kigali Convention Center has been diverted and work might take about two weeks for the road to be fully operational.

But according to city officials, road users might wait a bit longer since rehabilitation will depend on climate and weather effects to allow drying of the site before laying on tarmac.

According to Karim Zirimwabagabo, a Kigali city engineer, the damage left the area submerged in volumes of water which might need more time to dry.

"The priority was to make sure the pipe is replaced to allow regular supply of water in the vicinity before we proceed with the rehabilitation which is being handled by NPD Cotraco.

However, to avoid the same mistake again, the company behind the damage was tasked to look for concrete pipes to channel the cables,” he said.

Efforts to reach Olleh Rwanda were futile by press time but Kigali City officials told The New Times that prior to any activities, a company signs an agreement with the City Council compelling it to assume responsibility of any arising circumstance.

"Part of the contract is about insurance of activities being carried out on a particular site, which means that the same company might use insurance premiums to repair the damage,” added Zirimwabagabo.

The damaged road apparently is one of the extension strips that will link Kigali Convention Centre roundabout and Gishushu junction just after Parliament.

At least a 2-kilometre roadsextension was supposed to be completed by the end of this month, according to city engineers, in a bid to provide accessibility to the convention hall set to be operational by April.

While the city has already finished the contour connecting Rugando and Lemigo, another two carriage tarmac road is being constructed and will link Aigle Blanc complex (also known as Kwa Polisi Denis), building opposite the Ministry of Justice, and the Chinese Restaurant near Bank of Kigali, Kacyiru branch.

The construction is estimated to cost around $2 million (Rwf1.4 billion) and should be completed by end of March.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw