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RFA to spend K32.3bn on roads construction

The Roads Fund Administration (RFA) plans to spend K32.3 billion on roads construction and maintenance in urban and rural areas this year.

In a response to a questionnaire on Monday, RFA spokesperson Masauko Mngwaluko said the money has been sourced from fuel levy, international transit fees and road user fees for foreign registered saloon vehicles.

Some of the pot-holes roads will be maintained

Figures from RFA show that the total approved allocations for 2017/18 fiscal year comprise K18.7 billion for routine and periodic maintenance of the designated network, K7.4 billion for special city roads rehabilitation programme, K3.5 billion for dualisation of Area 49 to Parliament roundabout road, K1.5 billion for emergency works and K1.2 billion for community roads maintenance programme.

Said Mngwaluko: “The Community Road Maintenance Programme [CRMP] is still currently in 17 district councils,”said eneficiaries under the CRMP is 4 633.” He, however, cited poor quality of road works in 2016/17 fiscal year, delayed completion of projects and inadequate funds as some of the challenges they have so far faced.

“Contractors delay to complete road works within the specified period despite resources being available was one of the challenges we faced. Another challenge was lack of adequate funds for road maintenance since the demand for road maintenance and other related road works is huge,” said Mngwaluko.

In an interview yesterday, Lilongwe City Council deputy mayor Juliana Kaduya said they plan to rehabilitate four roads in the city.

“We will work on Kamuzu Institute-Kamuzu Barracks-Namichimba Road, Area 24-Penyenye Road, Bunda Roundabout to Ntaya Road and Mchinji Road via Area 47,” she said.

Blantyre City Council director of engineering Grant Sichali yesterday said they have been allocated K2.2 billion for roads rehabilitation.

The roads to be rehabilitated include Namiyango Ring Road, Nyambadwe Safarao-Tam Tam Road, expansion of Naperi Bridge and some footpaths in the city.

Last year, RFA in conjunction with listed NBS Bank plc issued a K7 billion roads bond to rehabilitate dual carriage way from Area 49 to Parliament roundabout.

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