Kenya will spend $20 million more to modify the Nairobi-Naivasha standard gauge railway route and avoid interfering with wildlife movement within the Nairobi National Park as demanded by conservationists.

Kenya Railways has now said that it will not take part of the park’s land as previously designed but will have the six kilometres of the SGR cross the park on a single line bridge so that wildlife can move beneath it.

Kenya Railways managing director Atanas Maina said that the new elevated track will cost $543 million, up from $523 million. The entire Nairobi-Naivasha route will cost U$1.483 billion.

“Though costly, this extra amount will go to adjusting the section running through the Nairobi National Park. We are going to see several improvements to make it 400 metres shorter than the initial route, which was to run through the park for 6.4 kilometres,” Mr Maina said.

A commercial contract with China Communications and Construction Company was signed in December last year, secured through a financial facility with the Chinese Exim bank.

A standoff between conservationists, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and KRC has forced the latter into several forums to work out an amicable solution after the preliminary designs were rejected.

Friends of Nairobi National Park, a conservation group that has been opposed to the project, says it will cut off acres of prime rhino habitat. They had also demanded that KWS disclose all details on ongoing infrastructure developments inside parks and its effects on the wildlife with some raising fears of land grabbing and poaching within the park.

KWS chairman Dr Richard Leakey said that allowing an elevated bridge through the park was the only viable choice.

“Bearing in mind the costs involved and the implications to our economy and the taxpayer, we have the best deal now,” Dr Leakey said, adding that the assessment of the project will take two and a half months once the construction begins.

With the construction of the section expected to start immediately, after President Uhuru Kenyatta launches the Nairobi-Naivasha leg of the SGR on September 26, Kenya Railways predicts that it will take up to 18 months to complete the bridge.

“Had we been allowed to do the construction continuously, we would have completed this bridge section in under six months, but with our promise of minimal interruptions, and having divided it into three sections, it will take much longer,” Mr Maina said.

Specifications

According to the new proposals, the bridge will be 18 metres above the ground, starting from 8 metres at the entrance into the northern side of the park and 41 metres at the exit southern end of the park so as to ensure that the wildlife is protected.

The bridge will also have abutments to be outside the park to prevent human trespass and wildlife escaping. Its pillars to be at least 32 metres apart for unrestricted movement of wildlife in the park

To address the issues raised by conservationists, Kenya Railways and KWS have reached consensus on how the construction will be done, under tight points of mitigations.

Unlike the previous Nairobi-Mombasa SGR construction, where the excavated soil has been dumped elsewhere, at the national park stage it will be levelled within the right of way or disposal will strictly adhere to KWS and National Environment Management Authority guidelines.

“There shall be no construction activity after 6pm and the slurry waste from drilling will be disposed of timely by the contractor to the satisfaction of KWS. At completion of constructions, the sites shall be restored to the satisfaction of KWS,” the agreement reads.