Chingeni tollgate to raise K4.5 billion annually
Chingeni Toll Plaza project in Ntcheu district is expected to be raising K4.5 billion annually when completed.
The amount was arrived at after a feasibility study was conducted before construction commenced at the sight and funds will be used for the maintenance and rehabilitation of the country’s roads.
Toll gates are barriers where drivers pay an amount of money to use the road.
Chair for Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Corporations and State Enterprises, Isaac Kaneka attested to the importance of the tollgate to the development of the country.
He said after visiting the site, the committee was satisfied with the progress of the construction work at the site, taking into consideration the fact that Covid-19 slowed the progress of the construction.
Kaneka said the project would benefit Malawians because the money that would be collected at the site would be used for road maintenance across the country.
The Project which commenced in July 2020 was expected to be completed in December 2020, but due to Covid-19 it will be completed in March 2021.
He said the committee would continue monitoring the project even after completion to ensure that there is accountability and transparency of funds realized from the project.
The project works under construction include the following structures, toll islands, canopies, plaza buildings, plant buildings, toll booths inclusive of all internals utilities and the road works.
The K 2 billion tollgate has been facilitated by government through the Roads Authority and the Roads Fund Administration.
Chief Executive officer for the Roads Fund Stewart Malata said the project, along the Blantyre-Lilongwe M1, was scheduled to be completed on December 15 this year but the deadline has been shifted to March 2021.
He said: “The challenges that came with Covid-19 have affected progress here. There were a number of items that are coming from across the borders. However, due to lockdowns especially in South Africa, it has been a big challenge to bring them here.”
Malata bemoaned that the completion delay will mean RFA paying extra costs, though he said the consulting engineer has not finalised the assessment.
He said improved road condition was a key tool to accelerate the country’s economic growth as it improves transportation of agricultural produce, improves trade and increases access to social amenities.
The Chingeni toll plaza is located in Ntcheu District, about 0.5 km just before the Zomba turn-off at Chingeni along the M1 road.
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Possibly build a minibus parking area for passenger transfer. Fuel tax was the proper way to support roads. Toll booth will only lead to fraud and further corruption. No doubt a by-pass road will be used by locals.
This is a welcome project but please do not turn it into a cash cow. Make sure it is automated for vehicle registry at entry or contact, otherwise ma cashier agula ma prado posachedwapa…..
Good developments implemented by the previous govt. It will help the budget deficit. We need 20 more toll gates all over Malawi roads so that we stop donor funds which comes with hidden exorbitant price tags.
It’s a completely wrong approach, another stopover after all this road blocks and checkpoint along our poor road system. Instead of building such expensive structures with all their hiccups like maintenance, staff intensive, pluses the security and fraud issues, I would have gone the cheaper way like putting the road levies up on the fuel price and especially for foreigners, on the road user fee at the boarders! To me, toll gates make only sense on highways, extra build for fast traffic, when there are no alternative roads, free of charge along it! Do all the bicycle, animal carts, and pedestrians sharing our M1 road,are than also paying?
Lastly, exposed cash business like a toll gate along the road 24/7, is not only dangerous and vulnerable to fraud, but also digital solutions are causing headaches we all know! Can you imagine you stay some hours at Chilangeni toll gate, because the system is slow or down!
Malawi is coming right now please also do the same in the north and Mwanza. The trucks damage the roads especially the Chiweta rd. Well done Mr President. Make Malawi a great nation to live in.
Malawi will regret the construction of this tollgate. Malawi is very far behind economically to start using tollgates. There are many things to put in place before construction of tollgates. Stop copying other countries developments. Instead, analyze your economy and see what fits into your cup. You are busy constructing tollgates instead of roads?
And yet we use tollgates when we are in SA, Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe. What nonsense r u talking about it?
What a wasteful expenditure in a poor country where fuel levy is the most efficient way of killing the rat. If more resources are needed, the rates should have just been adjusted accordingly. Someone simply wanted to steal money from the government through award of such a useless project. How much will it cost the country to establish the tollgate.
If managed properly this can grow a beautiful road network and an improvement in road maintenance in Malawi
yes to end up in politicians pockets not forgetting the staff at this gate.
munawaona bwa amai aja from nowhere kungofumphuka kunenpa and see the car type of the car she is driving. you wonder whats happening a ma truck akatuluka mu office and ikamanyamuka io kuponda pa step ya truck ngati akukwera. olo wa bus yaikulu kondakta kuthamanga kulowa mu office bus isaezedwe. timaona and zithuzi muzaziona
Good development build more toll gates so that city assembly will employ more people build also mangochi turn off
The intent of toll roads is to rehabilitate and improve the roads on which the toll gates are planted.In many countries where toll system prevails becomes a private enterprise. People invest in this type of business and are given a distance of say from Dedza to Ntcheu on which they plant two to three toll gates. The proceeds are used for maintenance and rehabilitation of such distance. This is good for improved road network.
I doubt whether this will foot the bill when you come to think of the thieves we have in Malawi. Countries that have been successful in that endeavour invest a lot on such a project. It necessarily does not only require a building and barrier but also monitoring and checking equipment i.e. cameras, paying in machines, automated barriers, good lighting system (electricity). Cameras will deter unfaithfulness, paying in machines will mean nobody apart from the keyholder will be responsible for the cash, automated barriers that will open whenever the motorist has paid the right amount and not wait for corrupt human being to open and finally good lighting for security and the electricity to power all the machines mentioned above. In the absence of that then forget it. When that is operational, fuel costs should go down because all along we have been told that money for road maintenance comes from the fuel payment made by the customers. Therefore it will be wrong and unfair to collect from two sources. Kubha iyayi!!
What happens to the Road Fund levy on fuel? Tollgates work effectively in South Africa and their roads are of international standards unlike what we have here. We have thieves in Malawi and surely they will be at the tollgates too. We have thieves in white caps on the roads of Malawi. We have thieves and beggars at road blocks. We have thieves at MRA, Road Traffic and at Immigration. Don’t bring the tollgate on the roads to the north unless you the Lilongwe – Kasungu (Nkhamenya) and Mzuzu Chiweta.
Fuel levies are mostly used to pay to accident victims in South Africa. I doubt it if it works this way here at home for accident victims are catered for in the third party insurance if they are lucky.
Only to end up in pockets of politicians.
Make sure that funds collected do not end up in thieves pocket