Malawi secures K262 million for Limbe-Marka railway rehabilitation
Government says the reconstruction of Limbe –Marka railway line will commence soon because it has secured $365 000 (about K262 million) for the project.
Ministry of Transport and Public Works Railway Services Department Director Geoffrey Magwede made the announcement during a meeting with Nsanje District Council development service committee on the commencement of the construction works.
Magwede said the National Transport Master Plan agitates for more transportation of cargo through railway and marine to reduce costs hence the need to rehabilitate the railway line which has been idle for years.
“Transporting cargo through road has proved to be expensive. The country will be saving over K44 billion annually once the National Transport Master Plan is executed,” Magwede said.
Magwede bemoaned the tendency of theft of railway facilities and encroachment, saying the malpractice was a major setback to the development of railway network in the country.
“Let me appeal to people not to encroach on railway line and those along the facility to peacefully pave way for the reconstruction project.
“There will not be any compensation because the occupied land is meant for the railway line,” Magwede said.
Senior Chief Malemia hailed government for the railway line rehabilitation saying it will benefit people in Nsanje and the country at large.
“We have always wanted the railway line to be in operation. Nsanje produces more products which fail to reach Blantyre due to lack of cheaper means of transport.
“The rehabilitation of the railway line will boost socio-economic activities in Nsanje District,” Malemia said.
The Limbe – Marka railway line was constructed in 1908 but stopped functioning in 1987 after being washed away by floods.
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Rehabilitation of the railways, indeed the extension of the railways to other parts of the country would do more to develop the country than building stadiums and roads that quickly fall into disrepair. Railways are a much safer mode of travel and transport than roads. Also anyone can afford to travel by rail. Roads are for car owners, buses and lorries. Countries with a good railway network develop much more speedily than those with little or no rail service. Malawi’s slow development is on a parallel with its neglect of rail development.
Koma nthawi yonseyi munalikuti kuteroooo
This story about rehabilitating this railway line by this Government keeps coming up once in a while like an eclipse of the moon, I am now tired.
Bakili muluzi killed raiways
They said it stopped in 1987, and i don’t think that was Bakili Muluzi time. But yes i agree with you, Bakili killed some of railways operations so that his tracks can operate 24/7
Where ‘ve you been all these past years it doesn’t make a sense jst leave to those who got vision for our country lucky enough this gvt asala ndi 3 months to go
you are too political ndi ma nyusesi ako
After so many decades of neglect, three months is nowhere near enough to put things right. Malawi has singularly failed in not continuing to develop its railway after colonialism. .
A very good and brilliant thing to do but the question is, has a thorough assessment of the works involved been done?. The reason I am saying this is that; there is virtually no railway components left on most of the stretch of the line from what I have personally seen starting from Makhanga to marka . The washed away place between Chiromo and Bangula will need a long brand new bridge to prevent future wash aways because, the shire river keeps on changing course at this place. This wash away was the main causative factor of the railway line… Read more »
K262 million? If it’s politics, no wonder we are not developing. One long bridge across Ruo river and another one at Mtayamoyo just to mention some. I wonder if this amount would suffice one bridge. Then there is the rail way line itself which has been vandalized to the core.
An important project but maths aren’t adding up.
Campaign
1992 went to nsanje by train so you say limbe marka railway stopped 1987. No no no amangwetu
$365000 seems unrealistic for a project of this magnitude.
Did the writer miss one zero perhaps?