Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi has said the Kano-Kaduna rail line will begin commercial activities in December 2022.
The minister said this while inspecting the project in Kano.
He also stated that the Federal Government has invested over $400million into the three-year project.
He added that it would be inaugurated before President Muhammadu Buhari leaves office.
Amaechi further revealed that the Federal Executive Council suggested that the contractors construct double tracks instead of the recommended single track.
He noted that the decision of the cabinet would affect the initial cost which was pegged at $1.2billion.
His words: “We are here basically to find out whether the contractors have commenced work and how far they have gone because they have a target of completing this thing at the end of next year December or in the first quarter of 2023.
“The cabinet decided that instead of a single track recommended by China, we should continue with the double-track we had done on Lagos-Ibadan and the cabinet is bigger than me, I cannot overrule either can the Chinese contractor overrule.
“Luckily for us, they are doing the formation as a double track, so we will just include the track laying to conclude the contract.”
When asked whether it would affect the cost of the project, he said: “It will certainly affect the cost in terms of the track but not the civil works.”
