One citizen in Lilongwe has described the recent development to utilize the Chinese-built Grand Business Park as an international bus terminal as ” “a disgraceful blight with a sinkhole for a toilet.”
This stark depiction comes in the wake of an announcement by the Lilongwe City Council (LCC) to relocate all international and local coaches to the Grand Business Park.
The writer also observes that the move will definitely contribute to setting sanity in the capital of Malawi. For a long time, the city has been grappling with the idea of setting up an international bus terminal, with various coaches perching their buses wherever they felt accommodated.
“None is against the setting of sanity. However, sanity should smell like it really is,” he remarks. These views are shared by many Malawians who feel that the city should have done better.
The LCC recently held a press conference addressing public concerns regarding this relocation. The council highlighted that the owners of the Grand Business Park have generously offered their premises to LCC at no cost.
For bus operators without ticketing offices elsewhere, office space will be provided at a monthly rental of K250,000.
The relocation, which is a temporary arrangement set for five years, will allow LCC to determine the actual number of bus operators in the city and ensure the new terminal is appropriately sized.
Additionally, LCC has plans to construct a modern international bus terminal in the future.
Despite these assurances, public sentiment remains skeptical. The current state of the Grand Business Park, marked by sub-standard construction and lacking basic amenities, has drawn sharp criticism. A visit by the Atlas at the park reveals shocking details of what will become the epitome of international bus travel in the city.
There are not enough water points to accommodate the large number of passengers and business patrons that will eventually throng this space once it starts to operate.
Chikondi Dzombe, one of the ticketing officers for a local coach service that is planning to move to the park, describes the place as not fit for international and not even local coach services.
Describing coach service as an elite travel arrangement, he explains, “What has been designated as a parking area for the buses is bare ground with no concrete or bitumen. In case of rain, it will be very difficult for our elite passengers.”
The officer was at pains to explain that coach line passengers will be subjected to the ordeal of using a sinkhole for a toilet.
“We consider our passengers as elite customers in the business and I do not imagine what it will be like for them to be using those kinds of toilets,” he said, describing a small building reserved as a toilet.
The toilet floors look like a trap; cracked and gasping for those that dare to step in. May be it is time the city council and the grand business park decided on an insurance policy to cover patrons utilizing the death trap.
The officer also expressed concerns about security. Their company also operates a courier and parcel service. However, he was excited about the offices that have been provided for the companies.
Social media is awash with vitriol as most commentators call for accountability at the Lilongwe City Council.
One critic calls the bus terminal a “very big shame.” Similarly, other commentators have echoed these sentiments, highlighting the necessity for higher standards even in temporary solutions.
One observer thinks that the move is a ploy concocted by the Chinese establishment and the Lilongwe City Council to mutually provide business and revenue to each other.
“Since the establishment of the park, only a few businesses were renting the premises. So, the idea to provide free space to the Chinese investor has only managed to provide the much-needed tenants to the park.”
Tashikira Chalemba observes that from the onset, the park was going to be problematic. It was earmarked to be a first-class business center only to be actualized as it is: a place only suited for live music performances and beer carnivals.
“The actual artist’s impression of the Grand Business Park was very impressive. But look at what the investor developed. This needs to be investigated and the council needs to come out clean on the development,” says Chalemba.
In defense, LCC Chief Executive Officer Dr. Macloud Kadam’manja clarified that no council funds have been expended on this arrangement, as the space was offered for free by the park’s owners.
He emphasized that the move is a strategic step towards constructing a modern bus terminal that will better serve international travelers and help sanitize the city.
While some view the relocation as a positive step towards easing traffic congestion in the old town and improving international travel, the execution and quality of the current facilities remain contentious.
As the city moves forward with its plans, the challenge will be to balance immediate needs with long-term infrastructure goals, ensuring that temporary solutions do not compromise the standards expected by the public.
The success of this initiative will ultimately hinge on the LCC’s ability to address these concerns and deliver on their promise of a state-of-the-art international bus terminal, capable of meeting the needs of a 21st-century city.
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