Work Advances on “Rue Roi Njoya”

The street in New Bell was hitherto considered a no-go area by most commuters.

“Rue Roi Njoya”, one of the oldest and longest streets in New-Bell, Douala, hitherto impassable for heavy and small vehicles, is receiving a facelift that is likely to be reckoned with in the annals of New Bell. The Douala City Council rehabilitation project on the street begins at the Shell New Bell Junction, passing by the cemetery and continuing into the Nkololoun neighbourhood.

As worries about the state of the road will soon be over with effective rehabilitation work going on, a new problem has cropped up – that of congestion on other streets in the area as commuters are not yet allowed to use “Rue Roi Njoya”. Driving through New Bell during rush hours and on week-ends has since become a nightmare.

The situation is further compounded by blockages set up along other streets in the area for celebrations like funerals, baptisms and some anniversaries. Prior to rehabilitation, trucks and taxi cabs (apart from commercial motorcycles) needed about two hours to cover a distance of less than five kilometres.

Work by the China Road and Bridge Corporation Cameroon Office, which has deployed heavy machinery to construct gutters, began about a month ago. However, the rehabilitation has received general welcome from commuters, who are curiously waiting for its finish in order to relish the development.

Once rutted, rugged and with several wet spots, “Rue Roi Njoya” due to be tarred soon, is a deserved facelift in Douala II Subdivision. The City Council project, which is due to last 24 months, had stagnated for several months for reasons City Council officials are maintaining sealed lips over. Meanwhile, the rehabilitation of the stretch has been a major concern to the Douala II Municipal Council and the Douala City Council.