The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has revealed that the Abuja-Kaduna Rail Project would be launched in May this year.
Disclosing this on Thursday while inspecting the project alongside the contractors, China Civil Engineering Construction Company at Idu in Abuja, Amaechi said the project was 100 percent completed.
Amaechi noted that the rail will be test-run in March before the launch, by President Muhammadu Buhari in May.
According to Amaechi, during the period of test-run, passengers will board for free.
“The essence of my tour is to enable us assess whether we are ready for commercial activities and I think we are. I will be travelling from Abuja to Kaduna tomorrow through the rail.
“In March, they should start the test-run of the rail services for free, then the proper commercial activity will start in May, where we expect the President to flag-off the use of coaches.’’
The Minister said a total sum of N150 billion would be used to execute the national rail project, with another 60 billion for the Lagos-Kano standard gauge and yet another 60 billion for the Lagos-Calabar project.
He said, “What we are doing is implementation of what we met in office. We are not among those who will abandon good ideas.
“If we see an idea that is good, we will adopt it. The Lagos-Kano project was awarded by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and we are flying with it.
“The Lagos-Calabar project was awarded by former President Goodluck Jonathan and we are also flying with it. What we are doing is implementing those projects that have not been implemented for so many years.’’
Amaechi appealed for that the Abuja Light Rail be used to pick passengers from the city center to Kaduna since the project had yet to commence.
“The Abuja light rail is expected to start from Abuja and de-board passengers at Idu from where such passengers will move to Kaduna but since the Abuja light rail is not ready, we shall use their tracks to continue to pick passengers from Abuja until they are ready and then we will disengage the temporary facility.
“The role of the station is to convey passengers to Idu, where they will be transferred to the national rail line to proceed to Kaduna,” he said.
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