Government has appealed to people in Machinga and Zomba to be custodians of the M3 Road as the rehabilitation of the road commences.
Minister of Transport and Public Works, Jappie Mhango, made the remarks on Thursday, 2nd July as he launched the rehabilitation of the 47.23-kilometre Liwonde-Matawale Road project at Malosa ADMARC Ground in Zomba.
Mhango said transport remains a vital enabler for development and good road infrastructure reduces vehicle operation costs, strengthens tourism activities, enhances businesses and shortens travelling costs.
The minister reiterated that government will not compromise on the standards of the project, stressing that the ministry has established pillars to ensure that everything outlined in the project goes accordingly.
“On this project, we are leaning towards three key pillars which are: the road must be of good quality and resilient, the work must be completed in the agreed time, and the project must be completed within the approved budget,” explained Mhango.
Mhango also revealed that, as a way of ensuring protection of the road and maintaining the investment, government will construct a weigh bridge in Machinga.
Board Chairperson of the Roads Authority, Engineer Dr. Witness Kuotcha, assured the public that the project will be durable and completed on time.
Kuotcha also revealed that the road has been designed for safety to allow all kinds of vehicles, with pedestrians and bikers having their own lane to avoid accidents.
“As a board, we will keep on monitoring, supervising and engaging the contractors and consultants to make sure that where there are challenges, we iron them out as quickly as possible for the road to be completed within the designated time,” stated Kuotcha.
Member of Parliament for Zomba-Malosa Constituency, Grace Kwelepeta, hailed the rehabilitation work and appealed to her constituents to avoid vandalism, adding that the project will bring job opportunities.
“This is the time for people in my area to be guardians of the project because I am hopeful that my people will be a priority in various job opportunities that this project will bring,” explained Kwelepeta.
Senior Group Village Headman Minama asked people in his area to co-exist with the workers and allow the contractors do their work without any challenges as compensations were made to those who will be affected by the road project.
The Liwonde-Matawale Road rehabilitation work is expected to be completed in the next 24 months and is pegged at US$58.3 million US donated by the World Bank.
