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Mombasa SGR-MGR link project to be completed by May 31

Kenya Railways Chairman Abdi Bare Duale and Kenya Railways Managing Director, Philip Mainga, lead a delegation of the Kenya Railways management staff on an inspection tour of the SGR - MGR Link in Mombasa on March 4, 2024. (Photo: Kenya Railways)

By Farhiya Hussein | Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Once complete, the link will enable passengers to travel between Mombasa Central Railway station at the CBD and Mombasa Terminus in Miritini with ease.

The Standard Gauge Railway to the Meter Gauge Railway (SGR-MGR) Link project in Mombasa will be completed by May 31, 2024, the government has announced.

The entire link line is 17 kilometres.

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“The project includes the construction of new MGR passenger stations at Mombasa Terminus, Miritini, Changamwe West, Changamwe East, Shimanzi and the Mombasa Central station,” Kenya Railways (KR) stated on Monday.

Over the weekend, Kenya Railways Chairman Abdi Bare Duale accompanied by the Kenya Railways Managing Director, Philip Mainga, led a delegation of the Kenya Railways Board, management and staff on an inspection tour of the SGR - MGR Link in Mombasa.

The visit entailed inspection of the Miritini Station, Makupa Railway Bridge and Mombasa Central Station along Mijikenda Road.

“Once complete, the link will enable passengers to travel between Mombasa Central Railway station at the CBD and Mombasa Terminus in Miritini with ease,” KR noted.

Commuter train services

The upcoming railroad construction between Mombasa CBD and Mombasa Terminus will soon introduce commuter train services for residents in Miritini, Changamwe, and neighbouring areas.

This initiative will enable travellers opting for the Madaraka Express Passenger Service to commute via rail from the Old Mombasa station in Miritini to Mombasa Terminus along Mijikenda Road.

A section of the SGR-MGR link project under construction in Mombasa. (Photo: Kenya Railways)

Additionally, the Mombasa Terminus commuter train in Miritini will cater to passengers from Nairobi and other counties traversed by the Standard Gauge Railway line, providing access to Mombasa's Central Business District.

Kenya Railways disclosed that the project entails constructing a 2.772km Meter Gauge Railway link from Mombasa SGR Terminus to the newly established Miritini MGR passenger station.

The project also encompasses the construction of a pedestrian bridge to connect the SGR and MGR platforms, a locomotive turntable, and a 480-meter railway bridge across the Makupa Causeway.

According to the Principal Secretary for Transport Mohamed Daghar, the national government is executing strategic measures within the railway sector to improve its operational efficiency and bolster its contribution to Kenya's economic growth.

On Monday, PS Mohamed inaugurated 430 new freight wagons, comprising 230 wagons tailored for operations on the Standard Gauge Railway line and 200 others for the Metre Gauge Railway line.

These wagons, with a capacity of 70 tonnes each, will be employed to transport containerised cargo, steel coils, tank trainers, billets, and vehicles.

"We will soon receive 20 coaches comprising four business class, three first class, 12 economy coaches and one power car designed for operations on the SGR line. These additional coaches will support the high demand for Madaraka Express Passenger Services," said MD Mainga.