L
LequteMan
Guest
Nigeria's Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Monday announced that the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri standard gauge rail lines, a project which has been abandoned for 30 years, would start commercial operation in June 2018.
He said this while inspecting the ongoing rail project in Warri.
Amaechi said the project was first awarded in 1987 and abandoned for over 30 years which would have been the first standard gauge in Africa.
“There are two phases of the contracts; the first one was awarded in 1987. We have a directive from the federal government that we must complete the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri rail line and it was put in this year budget.
“By the end of December last year, we had disbursed some money to the contractors; Julius Berger and others to commence work, so we have come to see how far.
“We are constructing bridges too in order to reduce contact with human beings who would try to cross the track because this is a speed lane and once it starts, it is going to be 120 to 150 km per hour because it is a standard gauge.
“If this contract was completed within the time it was awarded, Nigeria would have been the first country in Africa to have a standard gauge line.
He said that Julius Berger opted out of the project because it did not have equipment on ground after the Itakpe-Ajaokuta rail tracks was vandalised.
He said that the Itakpe-Ajaokuta track that was vandalised would be given to China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) because it has the facilities on ground to complete the project.
He further disclosed that Julius Berger would however handle the civil work to construct new yard, the 99 bridges, flyovers and refurbish the 178km yard in Agbor.
He said this while inspecting the ongoing rail project in Warri.
Amaechi said the project was first awarded in 1987 and abandoned for over 30 years which would have been the first standard gauge in Africa.
“There are two phases of the contracts; the first one was awarded in 1987. We have a directive from the federal government that we must complete the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri rail line and it was put in this year budget.
“By the end of December last year, we had disbursed some money to the contractors; Julius Berger and others to commence work, so we have come to see how far.
“We are constructing bridges too in order to reduce contact with human beings who would try to cross the track because this is a speed lane and once it starts, it is going to be 120 to 150 km per hour because it is a standard gauge.
“If this contract was completed within the time it was awarded, Nigeria would have been the first country in Africa to have a standard gauge line.
He said that Julius Berger opted out of the project because it did not have equipment on ground after the Itakpe-Ajaokuta rail tracks was vandalised.
He said that the Itakpe-Ajaokuta track that was vandalised would be given to China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) because it has the facilities on ground to complete the project.
He further disclosed that Julius Berger would however handle the civil work to construct new yard, the 99 bridges, flyovers and refurbish the 178km yard in Agbor.
