The Standard Gauge Railway is a modern, efficient transport system that will enable safe, comfortable travel for individuals and freight across the country and region at lower costs. Phase 1 of the Standard Gauge Railway from Mombasa to Nairobi has seen 472km of track completed, 56 Locomotives procured, 33 stations of which 9 are state of the art passenger terminals constructed, 1,620 freight wagons and 40 passenger coaches procured, 60 railway engineers undergoing training in China and 400 diploma holders taken through railway courses, 30,000 Kenyans employed and Ksh. 82 billion local content value.

The most immediate impact of SGR includes reliable and high capacity transport, reduced freight tariff, de-congested roads leading to savings in road maintenance, de-congested port, skills transfer and an increase in employment opportunities directly and indirectly through industries that are coming up along the railway line development. The second phase of SGR will also see 40% of the contracts allocated to Kenyan citizens.

Alongside numerous other investments in key infrastructure projects (energy, roads, water, TVETs) that drive investment, SGR will put Kenya on the path to industrialisation especially in manufacturing and value addition. This will ultimately improve our import/export ratio through the ports of Mombasa and Lamu.

Source:www.delivery.go.ke