President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who is on a two-day working visit to Rivers State , has performed the groundbreaking ceremony of the state’s multimillion dollars monorail project, expected to be completed within three years.
Jonathan had commenced the commissioning of a number of projects shortly on arrival at the Port Harcourt International Airport at about 10.a.m. including roads, health centres as well as other projects situated in and around Port Harcourt and Greater Port Harcourt.
The President was told that the Rivers Monorail would gulp over $318million an amount, which is expected to go higher because of the prevailing economic situation across the globe and would ease traffic within and outside the Port Harcourt metropolis. The first phase of the project will be ready to operate after the first two years.
Speaking to Saturday Vanguard later, Chairman of TSI Property and Investment Holdings, who are in partnership with the state government on the project, Brig-Gen. Anthony Ukpo (rtd.) said “It will be constructed on an elevated rail, like a flyover. We will start with five trains and increase subsequently.”
The Rivers Monorail is a public transportation system designed to be a major boost to the alleviation of traffic congestion in the city of Port Harcourt. It will also serve as a potential tourist attraction in the city.
It has a peak capacity of 210 passengers and a maximum speed of 70km/hr and as a starting point, there would be 20 stations for picking and dropping passengers round the city and beyond. Further, the seated train capacity would be 46 passengers, 102 (standing) and a total train capacity of 148 passengers.”
Ukpo said passengers would benefit immensely apart from other reasons given, stating that travellers would get to their destination on time, would avoid stress of rush hour traffic, would feel at ease and they will always look forward to their journeys.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/05/14/jonathan-kick-starts-rivers-318m-monorail/
