Kenya Railways has unveiled an ambitious plan to construct three new railway lines within the Nairobi Metropolis.
As revealed in its 2023 -2027 draft strategic plan, the agency intends to construct the Embakasi Village-Ruai line which will cover 12 kilometres.
Another line will be undertaken from the Nairobi Standard Guage Railway (SGR) terminus to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). The line is estimated to be 5 kilometres.
The last line, which will run for 28.9 kilometres, will cover Riruta/Lenana-Ngong/Rongai.
It was highlighted that these lines are part of Kenya Railways' strategies to bolster the sector and increase both cargo and passenger numbers.
Kenya Railways expounded that it plans to increase its passengers from the current 5.7 million to 8.8 million by 2027.
"We aim to increase MGR locomotive availability from 70 per cent to 92 per cent while maintaining SGR locomotive availability at 95 per cent during the plan period. This will be achieved through the acquisition, overhauling and rehabilitation of MGR locomotives.
"Availability of wagons for both MGR and SGR will be maintained at above 85% and 95% respectively in order to increase capacity for freight haulage by acquiring and overhauling SGR and MGR wagons," read the plan in part.
Apart from Nairobi, other major cities were also earmarked for rail development.
For instance, SGR passengers travelling to Mombasa will soon enjoy the services of a connecting train from the Mombasa terminus to Old Mombasa Town.
On the other hand, the government is set to begin the extension of the SGR from Nakuru to Kisumu. According to Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, 35 per cent of the project will be undertaken this year.
"In an effort to improve the capacity of MGR, the Mau Summit-Fort Ternan (75kms) section on the Nakuru-Kisumu branch line and 75Km of the Thika-Nanyuki branch line will be upgraded to accommodate the growing demand for mass haulage of cargo on the routes.
"The Voi-Taveta (118.6km) branch line will be rehabilitated during the period as part of completing the revamping process of the entire MGR network," SGR envisioned in its strategic plan.
