BLANTYRE, Malawi, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Malawian Minister of Transport and Public Works Jacob Hara has emphasized the potential of the Marka-Bangula railway network to reduce the cost of transporting commodities by up to 40 percent when fully functional.

He made the remarks on Wednesday in Nsanje District during a tour of the railway line that is being upgraded and rehabilitated by China Railway 20th Bureau Group (CR20).

Hara said the current rise in commodity prices faced by Malawians is being driven by transport costs, which account for 50 percent of the increase.

The minister also acknowledged that the project has experienced delays in its completion due to various difficulties, with the shortage of foreign exchange being a primary challenge.

In an interview with local media, Elias Banda, CR20 resident engineer for the project, said that despite the shortage of foreign exchange, their company has managed to complete 68 percent of the whole project, adding that the Marka-Nsanje section is 95 percent completed.

The Marka-Bangula Railway was largely damaged by floods in 1997, rendering it completely out of service.

In January 2023, CR20 started restoring the railway line. The project involves the construction of 20 new bridges, 121 new culverts, and four stations, with provisions for future electrification upgrades, laying the foundation for the modernization of Malawi's railway network. ■