Director of Planning and Development for Machinga District Council Michael Chimbalanga has disclosed that upgrading of Kamuzu Barrage on Shire River is scheduled to start next month.
Chimbalanga disclosed this during a meeting held on Friday.
In his speech, Chimbalanga said the project will be implemented with funding from the World Bank and the works will be carried out by Mota Engil Civil Engineering.
The upgrading works are part of the multi-billion kwacha Water-related Infrastructure Development of the Shire River Basin Management Programme.
Among other improvements, the upgraded barrage’s gates will be operating electrically unlike the current state where they are operated manually.
Meanwhile, the government has already paid out compensation of more than K146 million to people who are likely to be affected by the project.
Kamuzu Barrage was inaugurated in 1965 by former President Hastings Kamuzu Banda.
