Commuters within the city are likely to get better railway services as the Government plans to invest millions on the rail road system.
The Government is expected to invest Sh900 million on modernising existing railway lines that will help ease commuter transport in Nairobi.
Making the announcement during a tour of railways facilities the Minister for transport, Mr Chirau Ali Mwakwere, noted that the investment would enable the railway to service over 90,000 passengers daily.Commuter transport in the city is mainly served by the public service vehicles. The introduction of commuter trains is expected to help de-congest traffic on the major highways into the city centre as well as ease the transportation system in the city.
The railway lines are already in place but have been neglected by years of unuse leading to over grown grass, vandalism of some of rails and encroachment on railway land.“We are committed in reclaiming the encroached railway land which will be used for expansion and development of railway lines in Nairobi,” Mr Mwakwere noted.The expansion and revamp of the railway line will enable passengers to access various towns surrounding Nairobi like Limuru, Thika, Lukenya and Kitengela making it easier for commuters.
Commuters will also be able to travel to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on rail once the project is complete while a new branch line will be constructed connecting the airport to Embakasi according to the plans.A railway by-pass from Embakasi to Kibera will also be developed making it easier to move freight headed for Western Kenya.The money will also go toward the construction of a rail commuter terminal in Nairobi from where the commuter trains will be coordinated.
The investment is expected to create 470 direct jobs.Currently the commuter train from Dandora has been seized following the hold up of a train by youths for several hours to protest a shooting incident earlier in the week. The suspension of the train service has affected thousands of commuters who rely on the train.Following the break out of violence in various parts of the country parts of the railway, both in Nairobi and out of, have been vandalised costing both Kenya Railways Cooperation and Rift Valley Railways millions of shillings in lost business and repairs.
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Written by Wangui Maina
BUSINESS DAILY
March 03, 2008
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