This archive report was first published on 17 November 2019.
The Kenya Railways headquarters, a focal point that gave Nairobi life in 1903, is set to undergo a radical transformation. In a master plan that will be implemented in 20 years, the Ministry of Housing and the county government plan to replace the current shabby 'lunatic express' with a planned green city.
According to the plan, railway infrastructure will gobble a huge chunk of the project at Sh17.5 billion, followed by water supply and construction of roads and pavements that will take Sh3.9 billion and Sh2 billion respectively.
The project, which will be unveiled in December, seeks to re-engineer 430 acres of land from Uhuru Highway all the way to Muthurwa into a city complete with skyscraper buildings, residential flats, a cultural centre, and a museum.
Benjamin Njenga, Director of Housing, says the project will be done in three phases, with the first phase including development of railway structure, arterial roads, street commercial, house mapping, and expansion of the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) Road to connect to Bunyala Road.
“We are looking at the possibility of having the railway track pass underground and the road go through the surface; the road will open up the city and give life to it alongside other projects,” says Njenga.
The Nairobi Railway City will include multi-modal transit stations, mixed-use or commercial buildings, international offices, small and medium enterprise cluster, and high-tech industry buildings, according to Housing PS Charles Hinga.
“The infrastructure will take Sh28 billion. Such a diverse urban programme will generate a 24-hour dynamic city,” says Hinga.
The new central railway station will have an open wide street lined with trees and will empty pedestrians into Moi Avenue. It will also have a transit centre for integration of bus rapid transit (BRT), airport limousine, bus, and taxi services.
Once complete, the project will have four roads crisscrossing the city, one from Industrial Area to Moi Avenue through the new railway station, and one from Uhuru Highway, cutting through railways land and connecting through the rear part of Muthurwa market to Jogoo Road roundabout.
