NMS to relocate matatus from Nairobi CBD in phases
The Nairobi Metropolitan Services will relocate matatus from the central business district in phases from next week.
This comes as the Mohammed Badi-led office nears completion of Green Park, Desai and Park Road termini.
As the NMS continues to engage relevant stakeholders, its director of Transport and Public Works, Engineer Michael Ochieng, revealed that phase one might start mid-January 2021.
“We are in consultation with stakeholders to see if we can have a phased opening and commissioning of the termini to avoid the situation turning chaotic,” he said.
When the NMS was established on March 18 at State House and handed over to Badi, President Uhuru Kenyatta asked the new sheriff in town to operationalise Desai Road and Park Road termini for matatus.
Green Park terminus, which is meant to accommodate at least 110 matatus, is almost complete, with the NMS finalising the facilities within the area. Together with Desai and Park roads, it will be the first terminus to be commissioned.
The commissioning date will be officially communicated by Director General Badi
“The NMS is trying to complete these termini before next year. My work is on the technical bit and so my superiors will officially communicate the exact commissioning date,” Eng Ochieng said.
He explained that Phase One will include all matatus plying the Langata and Ngong routes. They will be first to be relocated from the CBD. They will be picking up and dropping off commuters at Green park terminus located at Railways Club.
Within the terminus, there will be a police post, supermarket, modern ablution, restaurants and a dispensary.
The NMS has finalised the foundations for the walkways and cabro works are set to be completed before the New Year.
“We have final touches being done, including installation of electronic systems, management structures and completion of a walkway heading into the CBD,” Ochieng noted.
The electronic system will be used to control operations within the terminus.
The NMS will then see all matatus currently using Tea Room and Accra Road plying Thika Superhighway and long-distance matatus from Mt Kenya move to Desai and Park road termini in Ngara.
Eng Ochieng said work on the terminus will take not more than a month immediately the groundbreaking is done.
The NMS has also set land aside space at the junction of Bunyala and Workshop roads for matatus using Mombasa Road – South B, South C, Industrial Area, Imara Daima, Athi River, Kitengela and Machakos.
Eng Ochieng said they will take at least a month to work on the terminus after groundbreaking is done.
According to the decongestion strategy, matatus using Waiyaki Way will pick up and drop off passengers at Fig Tree terminus in Ngara.
A terminus at Muthurwa-Ladhies will be expected to serve matatus from Jogoo and Lusaka roads.
Image: MAUREEN KINYANJUI
Last week, Major General Badi and acting Nairobi Governor Benson Mutura, in the company of MCAs led by the county assembly leadership, inspected the Green Park terminus.
Mutura commended the NMS for the progress made and assured that moving forward the county will work together with the agency in serving residents better.
“I want to kill this perception that the county government and the Nairobi Metropolitan Services are competing. Our main idea is service delivery and whoever is there to do so we should embrace them,” he said.
Mutura also commended the NMS for consulting with matatu Saccos, noting that it was necessary to oversee a seamless process when the decongestion plans are implemented.
On March 18, the President asked the office to operationalise two matatu termini at Desai Road and Park Road to stop the use of city streets as parking for matatus.
To further improve traffic management and decongest the CBD, the NMS was also tasked to rehabilitate and reintroduce the use of traffic signals.
However, plans to decongest the city are not new to the public as it remains an unfulfilled promise for both former Nairobi governors, Mike Sonko and Evans Kidero.
Last month, President Kenyatta directed the NMS to build a traffic control centre at City Cabanas to ease congestion on key roads. He directed Badi to set up 100 new junctions and build a new traffic management centre.
“The control centre will utilise traffic cameras and censors and harmonise location data to provide a synchronised signal at 100 new junctions in addition to the existing traffic lights,” Uhuru said.
The NMS will also redesign and signalise 25 new intersections.
The NMS is partnering with Kenya Urban Roads Authority and Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority to enhance traffic management through the rehabilitation and reintroduction of synchronised traffic lights across the city.
With Nairobi in the process of implementing the Bus Rapid Transit plan, the new traffic signal junctions will support the BRT.
.jpg)
.jpg)
Post a Comment