The construction of the 22-kilometre standard gauge railway connecting the Miritini passenger terminus to Mombasa’s central business district train station is set to begin at the end of this month.
The Kenya Railways says tenders for the $2 million project are at the evaluation phase and once completed, construction will commence.
“Tenders were advertised in April and the bids returned. We are waiting to start construction this month after completing the evaluation stage. The announcement comes amid plans to extend the line to Mombasa port to boost efficiency,” he said.
China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) will prepare the designs while China Railway Design Corporation and APEC Consortium Limited study the work.
The upcoming railway line will allow for the direct loading of goods from ships to trains thereby enabling the SGR to manage conventional goods such as fertiliser, steel, and grain.
“Passengers going to Mombasa via the SGR alight at the Miritini terminus, forcing them to complete the journey by the road where they spend up to five hours to cover the 22 kilometres to town. Those heading to Nairobi and other parts covered by the SGR from Mombasa have also been forced to use the road to access the Miritini terminus, which has seen many left by trains. The expansion of the railway would therefore also enhance faster movement of passengers between Miritini station and Mombasa town,” Maina added.
Recently, the SGR project was criticised for retaining a high number of Chinese workers as skill transfer to Kenyan workers remains low.
