Syokimau Railway Station in Mavoko. PHOTO | FILE
By NEVILLE OTUKI, notuki@ke.nationmedia.com
In Summary
Kenya is getting closer to constructing commercial
hubs around railway stations in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu at an
estimated cost of Sh217 billion.
The government had commissioned studies to determine the
most effective investment option for the mega projects that will involve
office complexes, hotels, shopping malls, industrial parks and arcades
on land surrounding railway stations.
Construction will be done through a mix of joint
ventures, franchises and build operate transfer (BOT), according to an
inter-governmental team comprising ministries of Transport alongside
Land and Housing.
The BOT arrangement is where companies invest cash
in a project, operate for some time to recoup expenditure and make a
profit, before handing it over to the government.
At Sh217 billion, the railway cities are on course
to becoming the second-largest single project in Kenya’s history, after
the Sh327 billion standard gauge railway planned for completion mid-next
year.
“The project will be developed through build
operate transfer, franchises and joint ventures under land lease,” says
the intergovernmental team.
“The estimated cost of the project is $2.15 billion (Sh217 billion).”
The government expects to earn about Sh1 billion in annual land lease fees.
The project will involve railway stations upgrade
and construction of direct rail links with major airports in the three
local cities. It will sit on about 400 acres of land in the three
cities, including Voi town.
The plan is to link the railway cities from the
Coast to the capital city and to the lakeside region, is crucial in
seamless movement of goods and people.
According to earlier designs by Kenya Railways — in
charge of project implementation — Nairobi’s railway station in the
city centre will host a shopping mall, restaurants, a manufacturing park
and two hotels with a capacity of 3,000 people.
Officials seek to fashion Kenya’s capital as the
regional hub for commuter and intercity transport and will be connected
to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) by a direct railroad.
The connection with the JKIA is particularly crucial in curbing congestion on roads connecting to the main airport.
The airport is also expected to host its first
industrial park for light industries producing beauty and healthcare
products, electrical and electronics, pharmaceuticals.
According to designs, the coastal city of Mombasa
will host an international trade centre, office blocks, a shopping mall
and two hotels
No comments :
Post a Comment