By JOHNSON KANAMUGIRE

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Thousands of property owners in Kigali will be relocated to pave way for construction of city-wide deviations and access roads to ease traffic congestion.

Details obtained from the city council indicate that at least 10 more road projects are planned on more than 33.7km across the capital, while an additional 215.6km of road network will be built over the next three years.

City council resolutions dated October 29 show that more than 2,000 property owners ought to give way for the projects through expropriations in public interests.

Kigali also plans to put up a 21,217 square metres public parking bay in Gatsata for impounded vehicles.

“City council has approved the expropriation of 2,009 residents to implement the road and parking construction projects in public interests,” read the resolutions that equally approved a wide range of other road infrastructure projects across Kigali.

Key targeted roads include the 9.8km Mulindi-Gasogi-Rusororo-Kabuga Centre road whose works will affect 586 property owners and the 8.6km Miduha-Mageragere Prison Road that will affect 495 property owners.

There is also more than 260 property owners who will be required to give way for the 2.6km Rusororo neighbourhood roads and the 4.6km Mayange-Busanza road.

The works involve asphalt and cobblestone road construction, upgrading to more lanes and rehabilitation of roads across the capital.

The city council has so far approved upgrading of six key city roads to four lanes. They include the Gatsata-Karuruma-Naycyongo road, Giticyinyoni-Nyabarongo, Yamaha-Kinamba-Nyarutarama-Kagugu and US Embassy-Kimicanga roads.

Feasibility studies, just like details of the budget, are yet to be determined. Council officials say the implementation will be in phases to 2024.