Minister of Transport and Public Works Hon. Jacob Hara has assured Traditional Leaders from Nsanje district that the newly constructed rail-line will reach Nsanje district from Marka before the end of this year. Hon Jacob Hara made the sentiments when he inspected the project progress.
The Minister said that government wants the Marka and Nsanje stations to be in operational this year. 'We want to use this rail to haul fertilizer for this year's farming season,' said Hara. He explained that government intends to bring to life the railway system across the whole stretch up to Zambia. According to Hara the process of revamping the rail line is being implemented in phases.
Apart from revamping the existing line plans are in pipe line to extend the railway line to the Northen Region. The Minister said that once the railway line is functional and Malawi continues to access the ports of Beira and Nacala, prices for imported goods such as fertilizer and petroleum products will go down and at the same time local exports will fetch competitive prices as a result of low transport cost respectively.
Addressing the Minister Senior Chief Tengani said that railway is an important mode of transport most trusted by people of the lower shire therefore government needs to bring it back as soon as possible. Tengani said that since the collapse of railway system some decades ago there's been no alternative cheaper mode of transport to service the lower shire.