Malawi will have a six-lane road covering nearly a four-kilometre distance in Lilongwe city, President Dr Lazarus Chakwera discloses.

The K19 billion road will partly cover a stretch from Parliament Roundabout through the Kamuzu Central Hospital Roundabout where an interchange will be constructed.

Speaking when he declared the start of construction works for the project at the BICC in Lilongwe on Tuesday, the Malawi leader said the project marks the beginning of efforts on face-lifting Lilongwe to a status befitting a national capital.

“The neglect that Lilongwe roads have suffered is tragic and has robbed Malawians of development,” said Dr Chakwera in part.

In her earlier remarks, Deputy Minister of Transport, Nancy Chaula Mdooko said among other things, the initiative will go a long way in decongesting heavy traffic in the city.

Construction works for the road will last 18 months.