The government has pledged to release the Sh150 billion first installment towards the second phase of the Standard Gauge Railway January next year.
According to Kenya Railways Managing Director Atanas Maina, the contractor in charge of the project is already preparing for the second phase construction, which is expected to start from Nairobi South hub West end and turn to the South West cutting through Nairobi National Park and into Tuala and Ongata Rongai towns.
According to the proposed route, the rail will then cross the Magadi road and enter into the Rift Valley through a tunnel at the North West of the Ngong Hills before proceeding into Mai Mahiu.
According to Mr Maina, the project is expected to consume a maximum of 54 months as the contractor will have to spend a lot of time drilling through the Ngong Hills to create tunnels.
“The construction is expected to take 54 months, informed by the length of time to be taken drilling the Ngong Hills tunnel,'' he told the Star
The MD, who was speaking during a presentation to update the public on the multi billion project on Friday, also said that the locomotives and wagons have already been ordered from China and are expected to be in the nation by January after which test runs will start immediately.
He further hailed the project saying that when complete, it will be faster and will join the major counties of Nakuru, Nairobi and Mombasa.
Commercial operations between Nairobi and Mombasa are expected to kick off in January 2018.