Kenya: proposed railway lines at coast
Posted: 08 Jul 2013, 18:52
From The Daily Nation, Monday 8th July 2013, p 21
Proposed railway lines to ease jams in Coast
Plans are underway to link port to Kampala
Construction work to modernise the railway network at the Coast is set to start in two years.
A feasibility study for the project is already complete and the final design of six railway corridors connecting Mombasa to neighbouring towns is expected to be in place in two months.
Kenya Railways infrastructure manager, Mr Maxwell Mengich, at the weekend said the parastatal would set up six railway corridors to connect Likoni, Mombasa, Mtwapa, Kilifi, Malindi and Kaloleni.
"The port of Mombasa has been in the spotlight for inefficiency dur to traffic jams and congestion. To address this problem, there is need to ensure there is a seamless transport of both rail and road," he said. "Plans are also underway to construct a new high capacity standard gauge railway line linking the port of Mombasa to Kampala."
Once this line is operational it will reduce the cost of doing business in East Africa.
Speaking during a stakeholders conference in Mombasa, Mr Mengich said a detailed design of the six corridors will be finalised in three months.
"We have met different stakeholders who have advised us on how to construct the lines," he said. "We expect to come up with final recommendations for the compensation of displaced people soon."
The new lines will be 1,000 kilometres lng with more than 70 stations.
The project designer, Poyry Company, said the new routes would include Malindi-Lamu, Mombasa-Mtwapa-Kilifi and Mombasa Airport-Likoni-Ramisi.
Poyry Project Manager Chistian Berterholf said another routes would linke Mombasa, Likoni ferry, through Tudor to Mtopanga and Kisauni.
The project, according to Mr Mengich, is in line with the government's plan to increase rail transport share of traffic from 3.5 per cent to at least 50 per cent.
Mombasa County Transport and Infrastructure executive Mohammed Abbas welcomed the project. He proposed more stations in Mombasa town to ease congestion.
NB: The same edition of The Daily Nation contains a photo of permanent way work in Nakuru on the existing Mombasa to Kampala line (p 5).
Proposed railway lines to ease jams in Coast
Plans are underway to link port to Kampala
Construction work to modernise the railway network at the Coast is set to start in two years.
A feasibility study for the project is already complete and the final design of six railway corridors connecting Mombasa to neighbouring towns is expected to be in place in two months.
Kenya Railways infrastructure manager, Mr Maxwell Mengich, at the weekend said the parastatal would set up six railway corridors to connect Likoni, Mombasa, Mtwapa, Kilifi, Malindi and Kaloleni.
"The port of Mombasa has been in the spotlight for inefficiency dur to traffic jams and congestion. To address this problem, there is need to ensure there is a seamless transport of both rail and road," he said. "Plans are also underway to construct a new high capacity standard gauge railway line linking the port of Mombasa to Kampala."
Once this line is operational it will reduce the cost of doing business in East Africa.
Speaking during a stakeholders conference in Mombasa, Mr Mengich said a detailed design of the six corridors will be finalised in three months.
"We have met different stakeholders who have advised us on how to construct the lines," he said. "We expect to come up with final recommendations for the compensation of displaced people soon."
The new lines will be 1,000 kilometres lng with more than 70 stations.
The project designer, Poyry Company, said the new routes would include Malindi-Lamu, Mombasa-Mtwapa-Kilifi and Mombasa Airport-Likoni-Ramisi.
Poyry Project Manager Chistian Berterholf said another routes would linke Mombasa, Likoni ferry, through Tudor to Mtopanga and Kisauni.
The project, according to Mr Mengich, is in line with the government's plan to increase rail transport share of traffic from 3.5 per cent to at least 50 per cent.
Mombasa County Transport and Infrastructure executive Mohammed Abbas welcomed the project. He proposed more stations in Mombasa town to ease congestion.
NB: The same edition of The Daily Nation contains a photo of permanent way work in Nakuru on the existing Mombasa to Kampala line (p 5).