FCT proposes $1.7bn for expansion of Abuja Rail system
The Transport Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has proposed to expand the Abuja Rail Mass Transit Project and it would gulp about $1.7bn. That was even as it is also set to provide a new Bus Rapid Transit(BRT) system with the sum of $950 ,000.00 grant already approved for preparatory study of the pilot BRT corridor.
The secretariat is said to be considering an award of addendum contract for phase two of the Abuja Rail Mass Transit Project to cater for the transport need of the growing population of people in the city. ” Award of addedum contract for Phase 2 of Abuja Rail Mass Transit Project, Lot 1B(26.775km) and the remaining part of Lot 1A (5.76km).
Exclusive Bus Lane ( Transit Way) along Lot 1B and supply of Rolling stocks, including operation and management services at the contract sum of USD 1,792,994,595.12 with a completion period of 54 months,”he said .
The new BRT is expected to span from the Central Business District of Abuja City centre, through Zuba, one of the satellite towns and terminates at Suleja Niger State. According to Alhaji Abdulmamid Suleiman, Acting Secretary, Transport Secretariat of FCTA, the secretariat has been saddled with the responsibility of supervising multilateral funding projects in the transport sector of the city.
Suleiman stated that despite the economic crunch in the country, the present administration has made a remarkable progress with the various projects it inherited from the previous administration. He also said that the administration was determined to sustain the Federal Capital Territory as a first class city in the world and would remain committed to preserving the original master plan of the city in all developmental efforts.
