Chakwera impressed with Area 18 Interchange: Mia says project to ease traffic congestion in Lilongwe
President Lazarus Chakwera on Wednesday morning toured the the Area 18 Clover leaf Interchange project in Lilongwe and said he is impressed with the progress of work by the project contractor Mota-Engil.
“I am very pleased with the progress that has been made,” said Chakwera after Minister of Transport Sidik Mia took the President through the country’s first overhead traffic interchange.
The Area 18 Interchange the only remaining work on Parliament-Bingu Stadium Road dual carriageway upgrading project which was initiated by the previous regime of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
The K4.9 billion project started in 2017. So far, about 90 percent of the work on the interchange has been completed.
“Am happy that the work is coming to an end am also happy that the project is not only to deconjest the city but is connected to various economic factors,” said Chakwera.
Mia briefed the President on how the interchange will help reduce traffic congestion in the capital city.
He said the interchange will be ready in two weeks.
Roads Fund Administration chief executive officer, Stuart Malata said there were a number of challenges which delayed the implementation of the project.
Malata said the new road has incorporated modern safety features such as separation of motorised and non-motorised traffic which has improved safety to road users.
The project financier , NBS Bank chief executive officer , Kwanere Ngwenya said his company has pumped in K10 billion towards the project.
Ngwenya said the project will have many benefits to the motorists in Lilongwe City and the public in general.
“The upgrading of the road to dual carriageway will reduce congestion of traffic thereby reducing travel time from areas such as Area 25, 49, 18 and Mtandire to City Centre thereby increasing people productive time at work and businesses and during the construction period a lot of people within Lilongwe City have benefited through getting employed in various road activities,” said Ngwenya.
Ngwenya said the existing road was construction under a low volume Sealed road concept however with the increase in the traffic volume within Lilongwe City, the road had deteriorated requiring frequent maintenance interventions.
He said the upgrading of the road has therefore reduce the maintenance cost.
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APM was a useless president. How did he come up with this interchange idea. To day we all witness how bright APM’s brain is and how useless Chakwera’s brain was and is. People must sing Lozani zanu ndithu…..Vuto lathu lalikulu ndi lomwelija la nsanje… sitidzatukuka ndithuuuuu.
There are a number of areas that need to be addressed before the traffic eases in Lilongwe. In town there is a problem from Lilongwe Hotel to Bottom Hospital turn off. The road from Town Hall to the turn off is too small to carry traffic from Likuni and Lilongwe Hotel side. There are also just too many minibuses and introducing bigger buses can reduce number of useless Bongos and Hi-Jets. Another point that gives problems is Ntandire. There is need to construct an under carriage for the pedestrians and to widen the junctions for turning vehicles to Ntandire, Gulliver,… Read more »
The interchange must have been built using APM’s personal money since DPP was just stealing all our tax money.
The new government will give us bigger developments since it has no thieves.
Kuchira, worry not
Kusowa zochita uku. Soon uzikayendela mbewu mmunda ngati akumbayo Dr kamuzu banda.
You must thank APM and DPP for putting their hearts to develop Lilongwe …despite the deplorable nyau type of philosophy of MCP.
Was the money from Muthalika’s pocket? We all pay taxes and that is what taxes are meant for. They must go back to those who paid.
All that modern dual carriage road and expensive cloverleaf interchange converging at single carriage dilapidated Lingadzi bridge on M1!
On another note this issue of the congestion on our roads. There is now a project to dualise PMF – Lilongwe Hotel section of the road by the Japanese. Can the VP engage the Japanese Government and request them to do the Lilongwe city – Airport road? Malawi is buying more Japanese cars than from all other countries combined. We are talking about 90%of vehicles on the roads Malawi are from Japan. Furthermore Japan is not a small economy. As the effects of the cironavirus is waning, engage the Japanese to help on this road or any other important road… Read more »
Indeed if the dual carriage road was extended atleast Lumbadzi/Airport could have made a great impact
I like the reasoning. Very thought provoking.
What has DDP done to this road if I may ask? This road is funded by Malawians, Kodi upusa kumeneku bwanji? We will name this Road the be of Peter Mutharika Maliseche Road or Fiti yaikazi high way!
Uchisiru kumaubisa nthawi zina. How do you attribute development project to a government then? Is when the governing party uses it own finances to execute the development programs.
There are already enough idiots out there so dont add your name to that list. Grow some balls
Yes. But has anybody seen anything? When you stand at the middle of the road opposite SDA new buildings being constructed what do you see. Nothing? Really? I see a road that is extremely skewed to the right. If the original price was K4billion and increased to K10 billion was the additional K6billion not too much? What were the factors that the road should have that dangerous shape? Was Petroda House and the new hotel being constructed on original plots? The K6billion extra cost should have been avoided. Who designated Petroda and new hotel plots?
You know the calibre of APM,he does not even know whether there was such a big development in Lilongwe mark my words Zio ine