English
Date: 2017 - ongoing
Introduction to the project: The Malawi Government has received financing from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) in the form of a loan toward the Design Review, Detailed Engineering Designs, Pre-Bid Documentation & Services and Construction Supervision for the Lirangwe - Chingale - Machinga (S139 & T401) Road.
The Government of Malawi through the Roads Authority (RA) intends to carry out the design review, detailed design and supervision of the upgrading of Lirangwe – Chingale - Machinga road. The construction of the road will contribute in achieving the Government’s programme of developing the road sector in the country by raising the standards of the national road network and connecting the country with neighboring countries. Furthermore, improvement in the efficiency of traffic and safety measures on the current road, its integration into the road network of the country, will help in improving agricultural activities and social services, reduce travel time and operation costs. The upgrading of the road to asphalt standard will lead to reduction in travel and transportation costs as well as maintenance costs for the current road.
Malawi Government Development Policy towards the road sub-sector is to build, maintain and ensure efficient utilization of the road and bridge infrastructure and other services appropriate to meet the current and future development needs of the economy. This implies that the transportation of goods and other essential services are not interrupted at any time of the year so as to facilitate the continued development in urban, peri-urban and rural areas through increased agricultural production, improved health and social-economic services.
Objectives of the Project:
The project works will involve upgrading the existing earth standard road to class II bitumen standard road with a 6.7m carriage way and 1.5m sealed shoulders on either side of the road.
Four bridges will be constructed along the road. This project needs to be constructed in order to achieve its objectives which are basically as follows:
- The road will provide improved mobility and accessibility to areas of high agricultural activity that also uses irrigation farming thereby providing means for transporting agricultural products to various markets across the area and the Southern Region of Malawi.
- Easy accessibility will enhance the economic activity of people around the area and ease movement of people to Malawi’s commercial city of Blantyre where they can access various services
- Branching off at Lirangwe on the M01 road from Blantyre, the road will feed into the M03 road all the way to Machinga.
- The route will reduce the distance to the lakeshore district of Mangochi and beyond to other Lakeshore districts. It is envisaged that this has the potential for increased tourism for both local and international.
