Nairobi (People’s Daily) – The Kenya Nairobi-Naivasha Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) constructed by China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) was officially launched for passenger train operations on Wednesday. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta boarded the maiden passenger train from Nairobi Terminus to Suswa station together with dignitaries from the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development and Kenya Railways Corporation.
Uhuru Kenyatta waves the Kenyan national flag as the Nairobi-Naibasha SGR is launched. (Photo: People’s Daily app/ Lyu Qiang)
The SGR is expected to promote development in East African countries, including Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda, which also has a dry port in Naivasha. “The railway is a development and it will boost development in this region. We will complete the railway and we shall transform Kenya,”said Uhuru during the launch.
Attendants pose for the photo. (Photo: People’s Daily app/ Lyu Qiang)
The Nairobi-Naivasha SGR is approximately 120 kilometers long with 5 stations, namely Ngong, Ongata Rongai, Nachu, Maai Mahiu and Suswa, built along the route to facilitate passenger transport. The project also features 3 tunnels in Ngong, Kimuka and Nachu with the 4.5 kilometer-long Ngong tunnel, the longest tunnel in East and Central Africa, and 29 bridges and 148 culverts along the corridor. The project is expected to extend to the border city of Malaba to form the main artery of the East African railway network and further promote the connectivity of the East African region.
A train at the Nairobi South Station. (Photo: People’s Daily app/ Lyu Qiang)
Throughout the construction of the Nairobi-Naivasha SGR, CCCC took the environmental impact into consideration with the aim of building an eco-friendly transport network. Some notable features have been incorporated in the construction of the SGR Project to ensure the free migration of animals at the Nairobi National Park. This includes building bridge piers across the park, with the tallest bridge pier standing at 43 meters, and the lowest being 6 meters high. The bridges are further equipped with noise reduction barriers to reduce the overall disturbance to animals during operation.
Aside from construction, CCCC has been involved in community development projects along the Nairobi-Naivasha SGR corridor, classified under the “Imarika na SGR” CSR campaign. Some of the projects implemented include the construction of two 800 cubic meter water storage tanks at Kimuka, Kajiado County, which is expected to be launched on the same day of the Nairobi-Naivasha SGR, as well as the construction of classrooms for Oloosirkon Primary School.
With the launch of the Nairobi-Naivasha SGR, the focus of CCCC is to ensure that the Kenya Standard Gauge Railway will further optimize the original traffic layout, promote economic and social development along the line and interact positively with the local industries.
