By Wezzie Gausi:
Delays in relocating electricity and water infrastructure along road reserves are slowing construction of the Kaunda–Chendawaka Road upgrade in Lilongwe, leaving physical progress far behind schedule,
The 8.5-kilometre project, which upgrades Kaunda Road from the M12 junction to Bingu Stadium and extends to Chendawaka Road, is being implemented by the Roads Authority on behalf of the Ministry of Transport and Public Works.
Although around 80 percent of the contract period has elapsed, physical progress stands at approximately 10 percent, largely due to unresolved utility relocations.
Minister of Transport and Public Works Jappie Mhango said delays in moving utilities have become a major obstacle, particularly because the project involves widening the road from a single carriageway to a four-lane dual carriageway.
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“The contractor needs full access to the road reserve to work efficiently. Where electricity lines and water pipes have not been moved, progress is disrupted and some sections of the road remain idle,” Mhango said during a recent inspection.
Project information indicates that several services still need to be relocated, including electricity lines, water pipelines and fibre optic cables.
Slow payments and coordination challenges around these relocations have directly affected construction timelines and the sequencing of works.
Roads Authority Chief Executive Officer Ammiel Champiti said that while some progress has been made, work cannot advance smoothly in areas where utilities remain within the road reserve.
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“You cannot complete widening, drainage or surfacing works when services are still running through the reserve. These delays affect productivity and place pressure on project timelines,” Champiti said.
He said about four kilometres of sub-base have been processed on Chendawaka Road and two kilometres on Kaunda Road, while box culverts have been constructed to half-width along most sections.
Surfacing works have not yet started, partly due to the utility relocation delays and foreign exchange shortages affecting the importation of bitumen.
The Kaunda– Chendawaka corridor forms part of Lilongwe’s western bypass and is a key route for heavy commercial traffic serving the Kanengo Industrial Area and the Northern Region
