- The 12.5km rail that will traverse Riruta, Karen, Bulbul and Ngong was commissioned by President William Ruto on December 15 last year.
- Nema called for oral or written comments within 30 days to the director general to assist the authority in decision-making concerning the project.
Image: Kenya Ports Authority/X
The National Environment Management Authority has invited the public to submit views on an environmental impact assessment study for the proposed Sh1.2 billion Riruta-Ngong commuter railway line.
The 12.5km rail that will traverse Riruta, Karen, Bulbul and Ngong was commissioned by President William Ruto on December 15 last year.
Nema called for oral or written comments within 30 days to the director general to assist the authority in decision-making concerning the project.
The line runs through Ngong Road Forest before exiting at the Southern bypass in the Riruta ward of Dagoretti subcounty.
From the Southern bypass, the proposed line runs along the Ngong Road corridor up to the Karen shopping centre, crosses to the left and proceeds along the road reserve to Kerarapon Road.
From Kerarapon Road to Ngong, the project is located within the Oloolua and Ngong wards of Kajiado North subcounty.
Among the impacts of the project is the loss of biodiversity.
Kenya Railways says it will minimise clearance and disruption of vegetation, minimise clearing and unnecessary felling of indigenous trees and compensate cleared vegetation by replanting indigenous species in disturbed areas.
The KR will undertake a tree inventory for replacement for any trees cut, prepare and implement a biodiversity action plan for the conservation and management of biodiversity along the railway corridor, and ensure habitat restoration throughout the project footprint.
Kenya Railways says it will undertake a resettlement action plan prior to the commencement of the project and ensure systematic stakeholder and project affected persons consultations and engagements.
The KR will also confine project activities to the proposed corridor (road reserve) as much as possible, and issue notices to vacate in advance to roadside traders to avoid damages and conflicts.
Kenya Railways says it will ensure appropriate and timely compensation for project and undertake continuous engagement with affected persons before project commencement.
It will also provide detailed information to affected persons about their rights, entitlements and options for land acquisition.
The KR will develop and implement a construction waste management plan as well as engage a Nema-registered waste service provider for the management of project waste.
The project will also have other impacts such as air, noise, water pollution and soil erosion. Measures will be put in place to mitigate them.
On April 16, Karen residents threatened to move to court to stop construction of the new line citing lack of public participation.
Authorities say the project, once complete, will have the capacity to move 10,000 people daily.
During a heated public participation exercise held at St Christopher's International School, Karen, the residents wondered why the project was being implemented without their knowledge.
The stakeholder engagement brought together the Karen Langata District Association, Kenya Railways technical services general manager Tobias Otieno and officials from the APEC-CDRC consortium working on the project.
“Our presence here does not in any way endorse or approve the project. We are here to listen and absorb what Kenya Railways will give us before giving any feedback,” KLDA chairman Sikalieh Samora said.
Karen assistant county commissioner Adan Kerow chaired the proceedings.
Samora said residents were demanding that authorities ensure the law is complied with and that their rights are upheld.
He warned that public participation must not be used as a rubber stamp, as has happened before.