The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) on Thursday took delivery of five coaches in its effort to modernise railway operations in the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the corporation received the coaches at the ENL Terminal, Apapa Port, Lagos.
They comprise three standard coaches with capacity for 80 passengers, one executive coach with capacity for 56, and one Parcel/ Guard Van coach.
Mr Kabir Zayyana, NRC’s Acting Director of Mechanical, Electrical, Signal and Communication, told NAN in Lagos that the contract for the coaches was awarded by the Federal Government in 2015.
Zayyana said the coaches would be deployed by May on its standard gauge operation between Kaduna and Abuja.
“We have received from our contractor the coaches which we are going to use to run our standard gauge from Abuja to Kaduna.
“The ship arrived on March 2; we started off-loading them since yesterday and they will be moved from Lagos Port to Abuja via road.
“We have off-loaded five coaches, comprising one executive coach which has capacity for 56, three other coaches with 80- passenger capacity, and one Guard Van.
“Latest by May, operation with the train will start on that corridor, to commute people with higher degree of comfort,” the acting director said.
He said that the staff of the corporation who would be used to operate the coaches had been well trained to handle the new coaches.
Zayyana said the corporation would transport the coaches by road because they could not travel on the existing narrow track.
The acting director gave an assurance that the corporation would go through the maintenance manual of the modern coaches to maintain them.
He said that when the operation commences, people will be able to take up jobs in Abuja and reside in Kaduna.
Also speaking, the Deputy Director, Public Relations, Mr Abdulraof Akinwoye, told NAN that the development was historical in the country.
“It is a great achievement and development in the history of railway in Nigeria moving from narrow gauge to standard gauge.
“It is going to create high efficiency, enhance patronage and comfort for the commuters,” Akinwoye said.
According to him, with the new coaches the corporation will embark on high level of training and manpower development. (NAN)
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