K12 million for Naotcha road project

Blantyre District Council has allocated K12 million for the Naotcha Ring Road project scheduled to begin in two months’ time.

Blantyre City South Constituency Naotcha ward councillor Helmes Chimombo said in an interview on Friday that half of the allocation was given to the project last financial year but the road committee deemed it insufficient and asked for additional money from the council.

He said: “The project was allocated K6 million in the just-ended financial year but after consideration,  together with our member of Parliament, Allan Ngumuya and the road committee, we realised that the money was not enough for the project. Therefore, we asked for additional money.”

According to Chimombo, the project will focus on difficult areas of the road from church centre to Naotcha Primary School and from church centre towards Chilobwe Market.

He said: “The two areas are almost impassable during rainy season as you know the type of soil that we have here. This is why we have decided to put concrete as well as drainage system in these two areas so that we can solve this problem once and for all.”

Chimombo said the remaining part of the road, from the market to Naotcha, will be gravelled.

He said once the road is completed, it will ease mobility problems particularly during the rainy season as well as reduce congestion at the church centre.

A Chilobwe resident, Alias Banda, said people of Naotcha and Chilobwe have been denied this development for a long time.

He said: “This is what we have wanted for a long time. The government has finally given this development to us and this will solve our mobility problems.”