Blantyre City Council has touted the planned automation and improvement of bus terminals in Limbe and Mibawa in Blantyre, saying the project will improve revenue generation and enhance the council’s work.
The council’s director of commerce, trade and industry Denis Chinseu said this in an interview on Wednesday on the sidelines of a tour and handover of Limbe and Mibawa Bus terminals to Webtribe Limited, a Kenyan firm engaged to provide carpark automation and management services.
He said apart from improving efficiency through revenue collection, the project, which begins in March next year, will also bring order in the operations of the bus terminals.
“The normal process we have been using is manual in nature and for every manual system, challenges are enormous, but with this, revenue will be collected automatically and there should be improvement in revenue because we will seal the leakages,” said Chinseu.
He said the council collects about K3 million in a month, but with the new system, revenue is expected to improve, which will enable the council to effectively carry out its works.
The deal, facilitated by Public Private Partnership Commission (PPPC), is valued at K1.5 billion (about $2 million), which the investor will inject towards its realisation.
The project will take 12 months to complete and will see the Kenyan firm installing related infrastructure at Blantyre Market carpark, Mibawa Minibus Terminal, Old Blantyre Bus Stands, Limbe Minibus Terminal, Limbe Market carpark and Limbe Bus Depot.
On his part, Webtribe Limited chief executive officer Danson Muchemi said the company looks forward to working on the project to improve traffic flow in Blantyre.
“We are happy to move in the development of better facilities and digitisation of revenue activities in the transport sector of Blantyre City Council,” he said.
On his part, Mibawa Bus Terminal chairperson Evans Glass said they welcome the development as it guarantees efficiency.
He said they look forward to an improved terminal with offices for those who operate in the city, an office for police officers and standard shops.
PPPC acting chief executive officer Audrey Mwala said the commission is facilitating the deal to help create a conducive environment by improving the infrastructure.
“Ideally the project seeks to change our infrastructure to help reduce congestion by ensuring that there are better parking facilities, but also decent areas in the city of Blantyre, a development that will also help generate revenue.”
