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(NYASATIMES) Mchinji-Chipata railway line to be opened

Mchinji-Chipata railway line to be opened
By Nyasa Times
Published: February 2, 2010

Construction of the Mchinji-Chipata railway is scheduled to be completed before the end of this month. Project manager Ernest Silwamba said 95 percent of construction works on both the railway line and the station terminal building have already been done.

Silwamba said construction on the rail line will be completed by the mid February. He was speaking during a NACALA Corridor Development meeting in Chipata. The meeting was attended by representatives from Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.

Silwamba said the remaining works include ballasting of two kilometers and three yard lines.

He added that lifting and aligning of four kilometers of the main line and four yards and the rehabilitation of the station building will be done within the month of February.

Meanwhile, Malawi has commended the Zambian government for putting up resources to complete the 27 kilometer stretch of the Chipata-Mchinji railway line.

Malawian delegation leader, Stephen Mkandawire said the Zambian government had shown commitment in the Chipata-Mchinji railway which he said is an economically viable project.

Mkandawire said President Rupiah Banda and his Malawian counterpart Bingu wa Mutharika played a critical role in the completion of the railway project.

He noted that the existing warm relationship between the two countries and their leaders would further be strengthened as the project would continue uniting Zambia and Malawi.

And Central and Eastern African Railways (CEAR) Director of Marketing and Commercial Services, Wilfred Ali, said vandalism on the railway line was the greatest challenge in the development of the NACALA Corridor.

Ali said the NACALA Corridor was a major economic target for Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.

He noted that the most common form of vandalism in the railway was the removal of stones and rail sleepers.

Ali said part of the 510 kilometer stretch of the rail line in Malawi was vandalized and needed emergency repair works.

He noted that a number of bridges on the railway line had also been vandalized.

He stated that CEAR had engaged the local community and area Members of Parliament in sensitizing people against vandalizing the infrastructure in Malawi.

Ali emphasized the need to ensure that the vandalism in Malawi did not spill over into Zambia.–Zanis

Labels: CHIPATA, INFRASTRUCTURE, MALAWI, MCHINJI, RAIL, REGIONAL INTEGRATION, STEPHEN MKANDAWIRE

posted by MrK @ 6:39 AM