The National Construction Industry Council (NCIC) in collaboration with the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) conducted a site visit to the M1-Rumphi-Phwezi road project managed by RSK and Chico Construction. The purpose of the visit was to assess the current progress and address challenges faced by the project implementation process.
The road project which was initially scheduled for completion by 28th June 2024 from a commencement date of 28th June 2022, has been extended to 28 December 2025 due to unforeseen challenges. Section Engineer Samuel Kraine explained that the project is currently at 8-10% completion, necessitating an 18-month extension. Key issues included hydrology complications and material sourcing delays. In addition, traffic management and redesigns of drainage structures also impacted the timeline.
On its part, Chico Construction stressed the difficulties faced stating that they faced delays especially due to drainage materials and design changes, but we are confident that the revisions will enhance the road’s durability. The contractor also highlighted that the number of drainage structures has increased from 131 to 320 to meet the environmental demands of the area.
Despite the extension, a representative from OPC expressed concerns about meeting the new deadline observing that the 8-10% rate, was rather little considering the remaining timeframe of 14 months. However, the contractor was optimistic adding that while challenges remain, proper coordination between the parties involved will ensure progress. He also emphasized on challenges such as relocations of boreholes and other services such as power lines.
CEO of NCIC, Eng. Gerald Khonje also expressed concern over the progress of the 66 kilometers road stretch while stressing on the need to ensure compliance with standards. However, the team got assurance from the supervising engineer who said that despite the challenges faced, they were geared to accelerate the project implementation.