- Railway infrastructure and water supply will take the bulk of the costs at Sh17.5 billion and Sh3.9 billion respectively.
- The project will be situated within 425-acres, of which 292 acres is owned by the Kenya Railways and currently serving as the Nairobi Railway Station.
President William Ruto's government has embarked on a plan that will not only decongest the city centre but change the face of Nairobi.
The Sh27.9 billion Nairobi Railway City was launched on Wednesday.
Railway infrastructure and water supply will take the bulk of the costs at Sh17.5 billion and Sh3.9 billion respectively.
UK Foreign secretary James Cleverly said the project will serve as a template for others.
The iconic multi-modal urban development project will be situated within 425-acres, of which 292 acres is owned by the Kenya Railways and currently serving as the Nairobi Railway Station.
The implementation of the project is estimated to take 20 years, with the first phase (development) expected to take place between now and 2030.
The project, which is part of the Nairobi Integrated Urban Development Plan also aims at expanding the capital's Central Business District.
It covers the area between Haile Sellasie Avenue, Uhuru Highway and Bunyala road.
As part of the project, Wakulima Market popularly known as marikiti will be converted into a park.
Since devolution, there were plans to relocate the market from the CBD to Kangundo road.
However, the Sh800 million Wakulima market was constructed but has never been commissioned.
Ruto and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja were to commission it last month but that did not take place.
It is not known whether the displaced traders will occupy the new market or how the state plans to compensate them.
Image: HANDOUT
To allow integration of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and other public transport modes, a new railway station will be constructed.
The plan also allows for the integration of BRT and other public transport modes.
The station will be a multi-modal hub in CBD that will connect the Nairobi commuter rail, three BRT lines, city buses and non-motorised transport.
The BRT lines include Simba, which runs from Bomas of Kenya through Blue Sky/TMall to Nairobi CBD then passes through Thika Road to Ruiru.
Chui, which starts at Njiru (Kasarani) to showground (Kibera) and passes through Nairobi CBD.
And Kifaru, which serves commuters from Mama Lucy, passes through Donholm, CBD, TMall, Bomas, Karen, to Kikuyu.
Also, part of the Railway City Masterplan is the Technical University of Kenya, which will be turned into a Techno Research and Development Institute.
The area towards Bunyala Road will be dedicated to meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibition facilities.
Towards Landimawe and Industrial Area, the plan is to establish a residential area of around 28,000 people with mid, affordable and social housing including a school and a small park.
At least 10,000 affordable housing units on 40 acres of Railway City will be constructed.
The new 'city' will also have its own police station, fire station and a disaster response centre.
There will also be an underground tank to collect rainwater for supply within the proposed development.
Once the implementation begins, the project will provide employment to 5,000 people.