By Isaac Salima:
The government has added over K73 billion for construction works of the railway between Marka and Bangula in Nsanje District.
The project, which started in 2022, was initially pegged at K68.2 billion.
The money was meant for the reconstruction a 72-kilometre railway.
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Transport and Public Works Minister Jacob Hara disclosed this Wednesday when he visited construction sites in Nsanje.
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Hara said devaluation of the Kwacha and increase in the scope of works had led to the upward adjustment of the project sum.
“Such kind of investments take a lot of time and resources. Remember, we had Cyclone Freddy, which changed the design of this due to the extensive damage it caused. Now the rails we have laid are anti-vandal. They [vandals] cannot even remove the clips [from the rails] and these are some of the designs that have made us change the price from what we had initially planned,” he said.
The minister further said that, so far, works are at 45 percent as they have laid rails at a distance of 10 kilometres out of the 26 kilometres to Marka.
“Progress has been slow, that we understand. However, that is because of construction of bridges, which consumed a lot of time. For instance, we have constructed a 216-metre long Nyachilenga bridge, which is the longest in Malawi this far. People thought this bridge could not be done because it was the hardest place ever. I know people are worried over the laying of the actual rails but that is the easiest part. The most important part is what we have done, which is construction of bridges,” he said.
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Hara also disclosed that they would like to build a dry port at a place that was earmarked for Nsanje Inland Port so that trains could be loading and offloading goods.
Acting resident engineer for China Railway 20th Bureau Elias Banda, who is representing implementers of the project, said they were ready to meet the deadline.
“All is going on well despite some disruptions because of rains. We are optimistic that we will be able to meet the target. Currently, we have constructed five bridges, with four under construction. Eleven of them are remaining to reach Bangula,” he said.
The government is funding the project following intentions by Malawi and Mozambique to revive the railway, which is a short route to Beira Port in Mozambique.
The agreement was that Mozambique must work on its stretch from Mutarara to Marka, which it has since completed, with Malawi working on the Marka-Nsanje- Bangula stretch.
The project has been through procurement and funding woes and has had, on several occasions, its completion deadlines extended.
This is the first phase of the 691-kilometre distance of the entire project from Limbe to Beira.
Officials say once the project is completed, the country would be saving about $41 million per year through imports by shifting from road to rail transportation.
