K400 million for Blantyre City  street lights

The Road Fund Administration (RFA) has committed to provide Blantyre City Council (BCC) with K400 million to light up the Masauko Chipembere Highway in Malawi’s commercial capital, Blantyre.

The Council has been mobilizing resources to rehabilitate street lights on the Chipembere Highway and this project is expected to run for five months, according to BCC Public Relations Manager Anthony Kasunda.

“Indeed the Council has negotiated a funding agreement with RFA to the tune of K400 000. The Council will contribute something to this amount on a cost sharing arrangement. The project is expected to run for five months,” said Kasunda.

He said the Council is committed to rehabilitating street lights in the in the City and urged Blantyre residents to support the initiative by protecting such facilities.

“We ask Blantyre residents to support the initiative by protecting the facilities that will be installed on this road and all other roads in the City.

“As you might be aware, we have used part of the K1.8 billion from government to rehabilitate street lights on Kandodo Cornershop to Kameza roundabout, Kwacha roundabout to Kudya via MBC TV, Catholic Institute (CI) to Greencorner and Sunnyside to Manyowe Township. We have a duty all of us, a people of Blantyre to protect these facilities from vandals,” said Kasunda.

On rehabilitation and upgrading or roads in the City, the Council has issued deadlines for the contractors to complete their expected works within the contract periods.

Kasunda said the Council’s Engineering Department, which he said has qualified civil engineers, is monitoring construction works for contractors not compromise standards.

“It is not about deadlines, it is about reminding them of the contract periods. Every contract has period of execution,” said Kasunda.

Government gave the Council K1.8 billion to upgrade some roads in the City.

The roads which are expected to be upgraded in Blantyre are Chilomoni ring road, Chimseu to Magalasi, Living Waters to Zion, Landrover Chirimba to Magalasi, Mugabe Highway to Mpingwe and Angelogoveya to Manje.