Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Seven counties set to benefit from rail plan


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By EVERLINE OKEWO eokewo@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Monday, June 24  2013 at  23:50
Seven western Kenya counties will be beneficiaries of a modern commuter railway network, one of the biggest transport projects in decades.
The Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) plans to revamp the Kisumu railway system, which is part of vision 2030 development plan.
The line, now not functional, was first built in 1901 as part of the Kenya-Uganda railway.
According to KRC managing director Nduva Muli, the project will significantly reduce the cost of freight and also decongest major highways. The project will also benefit Vihiga, Nyamira, Nandi, Kericho, Kisii, Homa Bay and Siaya counties.
This year, the government has allocated Sh1.5 billion to develop commuter railway services in Kisumu, Nairobi and Mombasa in the next three years.
“Kisumu is within easy reach of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, northern Tanzania and South Sudan, making it a natural hub for trade and a strategic transport route in the East African region,” Mr Muli said in Kisumu.
It also links Kisumu and its environs namely Nyalenda, Nyamasaria, Jomo Kenyatta, Kondele, Mamboleo, Kisumu Airport and Otonglo.
Manufacturing hub
The corporation’s infrastructure manager, Mr Maxwel Mengich, said the project would provide a direct rail link to Kisumu Airport.
It will also link the airport with the commercial business district and a business park for light manufacturing and assembly points.
It is expected to be completed by the year 2017.
‘‘This is the corporation’s major plan towards attracting new investments to steer development in the counties,” he said.

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