Ibrahim Suleiman
The Kaduna State Government says it has concluded plans to commence the implementation of the Kaduna Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, system.
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The Acting Director-General of the Kaduna State Transport Regulatory Authority, KADSTRA, Engineer Inuwa Ibrahim, disclosed this during a media engagement with journalists in Kaduna.
He said the engagement was organised to keep citizens informed about the developmental initiatives of the present administration.
Engineer Inuwa explained that the Kaduna BRT, which is the first of its kind in the state and the second in Nigeria after Lagos, has passed through the planning and design stages.
According to him, the project, when completed, is expected to generate between ten and twenty thousand jobs along its twenty-four-kilometre corridor.
He said one hundred and twenty Compressed Natural Gas, CNG-powered articulated buses would operate along the corridor.
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The KADSTRA Acting Director-General added that the use of CNG-powered buses would help reduce transportation costs while contributing to a cleaner environment.
In his remarks, the Project Coordinator of the Kaduna Bus Rapid Transit System, Engineer Aliyu Usman, said the project would provide efficient and sustainable urban transportation in the state.
He noted that the BRT would reduce travel time and traffic congestion, while helping to address greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Engineer Usman said the system would be equipped with an Intelligent Transport System, ITS, to enhance passenger security and improve the efficiency of operations.
He explained that the project is being financed by the French Development Agency, AFD, with counterpart funding from the Kaduna State Government.
According to him, the project is expected to be completed within one and a half years under ideal conditions.
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The Project Coordinator also disclosed that KADSTRA had established formal terminals at Mando, Kakuri and Millennium City as part of efforts to transition the state from an informal to a formal transportation system.
Meanwhile, journalists who participated in the stakeholders’ engagement pledged to support the project through objective, balanced and adequate publicity to enhance public understanding and its successful implementation.