Business, Investment & infrastructure
A train at the Nairobi Terminus
The city bound commuter train will depart
from Syokimau at 6.30am and pass through
the ImaraDaima station at 6.44am. It will then
make another stop at the Makadara Station at
6.58 am, before it finally arrives at 7.10am at the
Nairobi Railway Station.
“The move will ensure passengers using the
commuter link to the SGR Nairobi Terminus have
ample time to prepare to board the Madaraka
Express train before departure time,” said KR
Managing Director Atanas Maina.
Recently, scores of passengers remained
stranded at the Syokimau Station after the
train departed earlier than usual, causing
inconveniences to travelers.
The move by KR to reschedule the trips
is in an effort put to match the high demand
for the Madaraka Express which in its first
month of operations reported carrying75, 000
passengers.
It is also estimated to be transporting at
least 1,500 people daily.
The government last year launched plans
to upgrade the Nairobi rail service to provide
dependable transport services allowing residents
of Nairobi and its environs to commute reliably.
The developments include rehabilitation of
the existing railway lines, introduction of new
rolling stock and introduction of rail transport
services to areas not covered by the rail network.
These projects will involve the construction
of the double-track of Syokimau – City Centre
rail section.
Other developments targeting the Nairobi
Commuter Rail Service will see the Government
under the Nairobi Metropolitan Services
September 2017
Improvement Project (NaMSIP); improve the
existing Nairobi Commuter Rail stations and
halts within Kenya Railways Land.
This is being carried out in conjunction
with the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban
Development.
The existing stations targeted under the
programme are Ruiru, Kikuyu, Kahawa, Dandora
railway stations. The halts include Githurai,
Mwiki, Donholm, Pipeline, Embakasi Village
commuter railway halts.
According to KR, the Nairobi Commuter
Rail Project has already undergone a feasibility
study defining the scope, technical details
and development structure, and is now at
implementation stage. The project will be
developed in three phases.
Phase 1 will be developed within the existing
railway corridors to provide commuter rail
services between Nairobi Railway Station and
Ruiru, Syokimau, Jomo Kenyatta International
Airport, Kikuyu and Embakasi.
This development will include building 26
new modern passenger handling stations. So
far, the Syokimau, Makadara and ImaraDaima
Railway stations are complete and operational
with the Embakasi station currentl y under
construction.
In Phase 2, the development will also be
within the existing railway corridor and will
extend commuter rail services toThika, Limuru
and Lukenya.
Finally Phase 3 will be within new railway
corridors and will target outl ying satellite
towns such as Ongata Rongai, Kiserian, Ngong,
Kiambu, Ruai and Kangemi.
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