The Nairobi Commuter Rail service, a project designed to ease a traffic gridlock within major roads leading to the city, is finally taking shape. This follows Kenya Railways Corporation’s procurement of 11 Diesel Mobile Units (DMUs) at the cost of KSh1.15 billion.
These diesel-powered trains will ply between Nairobi Central Station and Embakasi Village, Syokimau, Kitengela, Kikuyu, and Thika. The trains will pick and drop passengers in Kikuyu, Embakasi Village, Dandora, Mwiki, Githurai, Kahawa, Ruiru, Pipeline, Athi River, and Donholm.
The new stations, three of them already operational, will operate on the ‘Park and Ride’ model.
The Nairobi Commuter Railway Service (NCRS) development is part of the Nairobi Metropolitan Transport Master Plan.
This project aims to carry out modernization and expansion of underutilized railway transport and ease traffic congestion within the city. Thus, it reduces congestion and creates an efficient and affordable mass rapid transit transport system.
According to Kenya Railways (KR), the Nairobi commuter rail system plans to increase its capacity from 5Million passengers to 15Million passengers and then to 60Million passengers per year in Phase one.
KR plans to put up new rail stations in Buru Buru, Pipeline, Umoja, Githurai, Donholm, and Imara Daima and develop a new 6.5 km railway line to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
This Nairobi Commuter rail project has been designed as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project with a component that ensures investors’ attractive returns.
Nairobi is considered a central transit point in the East African region, with daily commuters at 1.5 Million people. 85% of Nairobi’s population do not own automobiles and commute by public transportation.
The Nairobi commuter rail will link to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), further cementing Nairobi’s position as the commercial hub of East Africa.
In the first phase, this rail project will link the Nairobi Railway station to Ruiru, Syokimau Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Kikuyu, and Embakasi Village.
This includes building 26 new modern passenger handling stations at the existing railway stations and new locations. Syokimau, Makadara, and Imara Daima railway station are complete and operational.
In phase two, the railway corridor will extend to Thika, Limuru, and Lukenya, with step three linking the city to outlying satellite towns such as Ongata Rongai, Kiserian, Ngong, Kiambu, Ruai, and Kangemi.
ALSO READ:
Kenya Railways Eyes Ksh 370M Annual Revenue From Refurbished Nairobi-Nanyuki Railway
Power Lines Relocation Along Nairobi Expressway to Cost KSh1.08 Billion
