CEAR Communications and Corporate Image Manager Chisomo Mwamadi said this when he toured Limbe—Lirangwe stretch to appreciate rehabilitation works on this railway line.

The company rolled out Limbe—Nkaya railway rehabilitation project to ensure safety and efficiency in its services.

According to Mwamadi, first phase of the project involves the rehabilitation of the Limbe – Lirangwe stretch and is expected to be completed in July or early August this year.

Phase two will involve Lirangwe—Nkaya stretch.

“We are happy with the progress of the project that we have made despite the delays in terms of accessing some rehabilitating materials. We had planned to complete phase one in January early this year, but still we should be done with the project by July,” said Mwamadi adding that so far the company has rehabilitated 29 Kilometers of 38 Kilometers.

Mwamadi further said CEAR is working hard to improve service delivery to the clients by improving the sector in terms of infrastructures among others.

“As a company we want to make sure that the infrastructure is good and that is why we are rehabilitating the line to make sure that we replace the 30kg rails with 40kg rails which are safer and heavier and will greatly improve train speed,” explained Mwamadi.

As part of rehabilitation exercise CEAR is also replacing steel sleepers with concrete sleepers which were very prone to vandalism.

The company is also improving the drainage system including repairing of bridges and culverts. Bridge repairs include replacing of timber sleepers and fastenings.

According to Mwamadi, the second phase of the rehabilitation project of Lirangwe to Nkaya is expected to start once the first phase of the rehabilitation work has been completed.