Kenya Railways to deal with squatters
Posted: 12 Oct 2010, 14:39
KENYA TO DEAL WITH SQUATTERS
Posted on 11 October 2010
Railways Africa
The Kenya Railways Corporation has secured World Bank funding of $US11 million to move squatters who have encroached on its land in Nairobi. Up to 5,000 households living on the railway reserve in Kibera are affected. The reserve land extends 30 metres on either side of the track. Studies along the railway have established that 4,500 commercial and institutional structures are involved. Action is expected to commence in June 2011.
The squatters, according to Kenya Railways managing director Nduva Muli, are the greatest impediment standing in the way of moves to improve the urban railway system in Nairobi. Trains currently move at a maximum 20km/h through Kibera – 50-70km/h less than the optimum. “Rift Valley Railways can only pull half of their freight to Kibera station Due to too much slippage on the tracks – because a lot of waste is dumped there,†Muli told a meeting of the Institution of Engineers of Kenya.
The relocation action plan devised by the corporation and the World Bank is to be implemented in three phases at a cost of $33 million. The first phase will involve the acquisition of land for the squatters living in the Mukuru slums on the eastern side of the railway. This will make way for the first part of the improvement project, the building of a line to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
In Kibera, it is planned to build high-rise residential houses for the squatters and a wall along the length of the reserve boundary, Muli says.
Posted on 11 October 2010
Railways Africa
The Kenya Railways Corporation has secured World Bank funding of $US11 million to move squatters who have encroached on its land in Nairobi. Up to 5,000 households living on the railway reserve in Kibera are affected. The reserve land extends 30 metres on either side of the track. Studies along the railway have established that 4,500 commercial and institutional structures are involved. Action is expected to commence in June 2011.
The squatters, according to Kenya Railways managing director Nduva Muli, are the greatest impediment standing in the way of moves to improve the urban railway system in Nairobi. Trains currently move at a maximum 20km/h through Kibera – 50-70km/h less than the optimum. “Rift Valley Railways can only pull half of their freight to Kibera station Due to too much slippage on the tracks – because a lot of waste is dumped there,†Muli told a meeting of the Institution of Engineers of Kenya.
The relocation action plan devised by the corporation and the World Bank is to be implemented in three phases at a cost of $33 million. The first phase will involve the acquisition of land for the squatters living in the Mukuru slums on the eastern side of the railway. This will make way for the first part of the improvement project, the building of a line to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
In Kibera, it is planned to build high-rise residential houses for the squatters and a wall along the length of the reserve boundary, Muli says.