The China Exim Bank will bankroll the $1.79billion second phase of the Abuja Mass Transit Rail Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello has said
This was disclosed by the minister while briefing newsmen after the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the minister, the rail project which has been awarded to China Civil Engineering and Construction Company, (CCECC) in the sum of $1.79billion will cover new areas in the capital city of Abuja.
This is beside a $1.5 billion (about N450 billion) counterpart funding secured from China earlier in the year by the Federal Government for the Lagos-Ibadan rail project set to commence in March.
The Abuja second phase mass transit rail is expected to pass through Area 10, Berger junction, Jabi Motor, Wuse Market, through to Life Camp all the way to terminate Gwagwa.
The minister also said council gave approval for the remaining part of Lot 1A (5.76km) which was in the first phase of the Abuja railway project. Council also gave approval for rolling stocks, workshop Equipment and three years Management contract.
He explained that “Lot 3 has been completed and the entire tracks have been connected they also gave approval today for rolling stocks, that is the coaches that will be used on the system 12 sets will be procured to be used on that line and that line of lot 3 is going to start from the Abuja metro station through the national park station, ring road 3 station, Wuba station, Idu station, and finally terminates at the airport.
“The tracks have been laid, the extensions have been 90 percent completed. We only have a couple of them now underpainting that will be completed soon.
We also have lot 1A which has been completed, that is the rail that goes from Idu, to Gwagwa station, Jibbi station and Bazango. We have realized the need to extend the rail from the Bazango station to Kubwa so it can carry the traffic coming.
“That extension is 5.7KM and we got council’s approval today”.
Council gave approval for the procurement of workshop equipment including three years management .“You know rails require a lot of maintenance activities” the minister said adding that “all these are the benefits that we are enjoying because of our friendship with China”.
he further stated that the coaches should be in this year, end of this year or early next year, the total number of Lots (coaches) coming in are 20 and each Lot has four coaches and each will move 690 passengers, so 10 of it will carry 6,990 passengers.
Council also gave approval infrastructural development in Jahi District of the FCT as the cost of N19.473billion. Council further approved a contract fro the construction of a 5km road to link Ring Road III to Wasa Junction with Karshi -Ara-Apo Road at the sum of N2.454bn.