By Isaac Anumihe

Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, yesterday disclosed that the recently-commissioned Abuja-Kaduna rail line now generates over one million naira daily.

The Minister who said this during a tour of the projects with newsmen, explained that in the past the rail line was generating N16 million, while it was gulping N56 million per month. But as at now, it is attracting N30 million  a month.

Amaechi , however, attributed  the feat  to the increase in passenger traffic that patronise the rail because of security challenges on the road.

‘’We were  spending N56 million per month and  getting back only N16 million. With this  improvement,  we now make N30 million.  That is one million naira per day. The improvement started last month because of increase in passengers rising cases of kidnapping on the road.”  he said.

The Minister said that the  government would use  the generated revenues to  maintain the coaches and other logistics, adding that  it would equally  address the issue of touting at the Idu Rail Station with the expected arrival of 10 more coaches by October this year.

According to him, the arrival of the new coaches would require more resources for  maintenance in order to meet customers’ expectations.

Recall that the Abuja-Kaduna rail line commenced commercial operation in July 2016.

 Meanwhile, the  Minister said that the Federal Government had instructed that the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri standard gauge rail lines would start commercial operation in June 2018 and that the project would  be completed by the first quarter of next year.  

He said that the project which was first awarded in 1987 and abandoned for over 30 years 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’s  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 the work has gone.

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“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 km to 150 km per hour.  

“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.

“We need to get this place functioning and the directive of the Federal Government is that  we should start. And our target is that by June, commercial activities will resume,” he said.

He said that Julius Berger opted out of the project because it did not have equipment on ground after the Itakpe-Ajaokuta rail track was vandalised.

Amaechi noted  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.

According to him, Julius Berger would however handle the civil work to construct new yard, the 99 bridges, flyovers and refurbish the 178km yard in Agbor.

While inspecting the railway village in Agbor, the minister ordered that the village with about 420 houses be handed back to the ministry due to poor maintenance, noting that the ministry would hand over the village to Julius Berger for total rehabilitation which could be rented to workers.

At the Abraka site, the Amaechi directed the Team Nigeria Limited, the  project consultant,  to expand the bridges to accommodate two vehicles as the bridges constructed could only accommodate one vehicle.

However, Julius Berger’s  site engineer, Mr David Imafidon,  explained  that with the  level of work,  the project could be completed within the speculated time.

He said that 99 bridges were to be constructed in the ongoing project with 12 rail stations adding that the overpasses to Agbor town were already completed.

Also, the Consultant of Team Nigeria Limited, Mr Chiedu Nwazojie,  said that the company would effect  all the adjustments made  by the minister to expand the bridges to accommodate more vehicles.