China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), the contractor handling the Kaduna-Rigasa Rail Line Project has assured that it will deliver the job in December 2014.
The representative of CCECC, James Lee made this known on Saturday while briefing members of the National Good Governance Tour during an inspection of the Jere Section of the rail line.
According to him, the company has achieved 70 percent of the job and he said this was done in 3 years.
He was also delighted that the project did not suffer set backs as there was no land acquisition problem on the 186km of land being used to implement the project.
Lee further assured that when completed the rail line would be of great benefit to immediate communities as well as the people of the country.
Earlier, the Federal Director of Railways disclosed that the Project was initially awarded in 2006 to run from Lagos to Kano.
He however informed that Government, out of its wisdom, decided to segment it to 6 parts namely Lagos to Ibadan, Ibadan to Ilorin, Ilorin to Minna, Minna to Abuja, Abuja to Kaduna.
The director equally revealed that Government decided to commence with two segments which are Lagos to Ibadan and Abuja to Kaduna.
“We started Abuja to Kaduna in the year 2010 precisely. The contract was awarded to CCECC at total cost of 849 million US dollars.
He added that the scope of work has to do with the construction of the rail line from Abuja to Kaduna with 9 no stations and the total length is 186 km.
He said when completed, trains would run at a speed of 120 km to 150 km per hour, and anyone living in Kaduna will traverse to Abuja in approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour.
“The laying of the rail track has been started from Abuja. The portion from Abuja to Jere has been completed while the segment from Jere to Rigasa is almost completed.
“This is the largest rail bridge in Nigeria’s history. It is almost 1 km, it is about 104 m”, he added.
Speaking on the project, the S.A to the President on Documentation, Molara Wood recalled that during the Tour of the Federal Capital Territory, the team inspected the Abuja-end of the project.
“Apart from the size of the project, what I find so encouraging is this development that people will be able to commute from outside Abuja into Abuja. And this is really the way forward for all our cities in the future. It will help to decongest our cities and this is a reason why all planners should embrace this project”, Wood stated.
Also speaking, the NUJ President, Mohammed Garba noted that the implementation of the project is enjoying funding from the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).
“I remember that we (members of the railways committee) came here about two months ago on inspection and believe you me, coming here today, I have seen a lot of progress on this project”, Garba stated.
In his remarks, the representative of the Minister of Information, Mr. Kingsley Osadolor (Special Assistant, Media to the Minister) said “what we are seeing here clearly, is a validation of the claims made by the Honourable Minister of Transport, first at the Ministerial Platform 2012 and 2013. This speaks clearly that the Federal Government is moving ahead on rail line construction from Abuja to Kaduna.
“In the end, we also may well be seeing the demise of the ridiculous mass transit that we see scribbled on buses, and that take not more than 14 passengers.
Mr. Osadolor said “The Federal Government’s Transformation Agenda which incorporates infrastructure Development of which the railways are a critical part is manifesting here. That really will give meaning to mass transit”.
He commended Federal Government for making good use of the SURE-P funds noting that SURE-P was also intervening in the construction of major road projects which include Benin-Ore, Ore-Shagamu and Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja express way.
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