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By:
Gilbert Koech | |||||||||
| Posted:
Dec,19-2021 08:53:01
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| Passengers aboard the Kisumu-Nairobi on Friday were thrilled to be part of what they termed "an experience of a lifetime". The passenger train resumed operations after 10 years. It left Nairobi at 6am and arrived in Nakuru at 11.35am. It later proceeded to the lakeside city and arrived at 6.10pm. When the Kisumu-bound train arrived at Nakuru station, more than 100 passengers were waiting to board. They were delighted and eager to be part of the experience. “The old train used to ply at night but the day train, especially when it comes to viewing the landscape, is marvellous. We hope they are going to improve on it going forward,” passenger Josphat Odhiambo said. He said the fares are relatively fair. Passengers in economy class will pay Sh600 from Nairobi to Kisumu. Those in first class will pay Sh2,000 and they enjoyed spacious closets for their luggage, refreshments, charging ports and Wi-Fi. For passengers alighting in Nakuru from the capital, they paid Sh300 which means one will save Sh100 as compared to travelling by buses which charge Sh400. Another passenger from Nakuru, Edmond Ouma, said the last time he was aboard a train was in 1995. He said when he heard that the train had resumed operations he had to experience it. “I pay over Sh1,500, but I will now be able to save something small for Christmas, the money that I could have spent on transport will now be used for something else,” Ouma said. Targeting travellers this festive season, the train will run on December 17 and 24 and January 1 next year. The train service is a relief for passengers who have been struggling with the high cost of travelling, especially during the festive season. During festivities, the journey from Nairobi to Kisumu by bus costs around Sh2,000. In September, Kenya Railways managing director Philip Mainga said Kenyans heading to Kisumu will be travelling in style. “We will have a capacity of 1,000 passengers in eight coaches per trip,” Mainga said. Mainga said the new service is expected to bring numerous benefits to the lakeside region and the country at large. The MD made his remarks when the National Assembly Finance and National Planning committees went on a fact-finding mission on the newly refurbished route. The route has 18 stations such as Njoro and Molo stations, 46 bridges and 27 viaducts. At least 18 other stations have been fenced to keep off private developers. A total of 27 viaducts have been rehabilitated by engineers from the Kenya Railways. The standard gauge railway's Mombasa-Nairobi phase cost Sh327 billion while the extension to Naivasha cost Sh150 billion. The final phase of the SGR to Kisumu was to cost Sh380 billion. However, the government failed to secure funds from China for the final phase, so authorities rehabilitated the metre gauge railway. At least Sh2.8 billion has been spent to rehabilitate the line that utilised local labour. A 1978 locomotive has also been refurbished to serve the Nakuru-Kisumu route. The refurbished locomotive from Nakuru to Kisumu can last another 25 years, Mainga said. Mainga said it has a maximum speed of 80 kilometres per hour. It also has a music system, communication gadgets and other amenities. Since the standard gauge railway track is 1.35 metres wide, while that of the metre gauge railway is one metre, cargo and passengers will be transferred from SGR trains to MGR trains at the Naivasha station. From the Port of Mombasa, cargo will be transported aboard the Madaraka Express Freight Service trains up to the Naivasha Inland Container Depot. Passengers onboard the SGR train will also be moved to metre gauge railway at the Naivasha station. The government had announced that phase 2B of the SGR project is to start at Naivasha Industrial Park where Phase 2A ends. It was to pass through Narok, Bomet, Kericho counties and terminate in Kisumu. The Longonot to Malaba line is 465Km while the Nakuru-Kisumu is 216.7km-long. The line from Nakuru to Kisumu links the Rift Valley and Western Kenya regions with Uganda. With a refurbished line, cargo will be moved from Mombasa to Kisumu and Malaba via rail. | |||||||||
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Source:
The Star
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