NRC commences 5 kilometers rail services in Bauchi
By Samuel Luka, Bauchi
The North Eastern District Manager of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr Aliyu Mainasara has announced the commencement of five kilometers rail line services from Bauchi metropolis to Inkil community, along Bauchi-Gombe road
for passengers and students on excursion.
The Railway District Manager (RDM) who made the announcement while unveiling the rail line services in Bauchi on Monday, said only N200 would be charge per trip from Bauchi station to Inkill Community.
Mainasara explained that the rail Services would operate three times a day, from Monday to Saturday, adding that each trip would be accompanied by security personnel to protect passengers and their luggages.
The District Manager who said that the train has the capacity of carrying about 70 to 100 passengers with comfortable facilities, pointed out that full services would commence on Monday September 5, 2022 with daily and monthly schedules.
He said that the North eastern district has not run a single train in the last seven years due to challenges posed by insecurity and vandalism of its track.
According to the RDM, the initiative would accord the citizens and children to test the rail services, as there are people who don’t have experience of rail services.
“With this, the children from schools would go for an excursion from Bauchi station to Inkil Community that is five kilometers from Bauchi station”, Mr. Mainasara said
He noted that by the end of 2022, the Corporation will extend the services to Alkaleri local government area of the state and even to Gombe state.
The RDM said engineers in the district are working on the track for the expansion of the scope of services to Alkaleri local Government area of the state.
“The moment we fix the tracks up to Alkaleri, believe me, we will start to run our trains as well as Gombe in the district”, Mr. Mainasara assured.
He appealed to stakeholders to support the initiative of the North-East District office of the corporation with credible information to ensure effective surveillance and protection of the tracks.
Our correspondent reports that during the pre- test and commencement of the rail services, the rail conveyed the RDM, Management team and passengers from Bauchi station to Inkill Community in two trips.