IMPACTS OF STANDARD GAUGE RAILWAY

The Kenya standard Gauge Railway (SGR) is the biggest transport infrastructure project in the country's history which provides transportation to both cargo and passangers. The SGR extends from the port of Mombasa at the Indian Ocean to Malaba town at the kenya- Uganda border. The SGR was created with an aim of making transportation easier and also to reduce traffic jams . This aim was achieved as the commissions on the roads have slightly reduced. The SGR has shortened the passangers' travel time from Mombasa to Nairobi from more than ten hours to about five hours.

The SGR image.

Everything that has positive impact will automatically not lack the negative ones.
A study contacted by one University in the country showed that sixty percent of employees working at the Container Freight Stations (CFSs) were sacked over same period. The study also showed that Mombasa county is at economic decay point with the CFS, long distance trucks and transport related businesses such as fuelling service stations mostly affected.
The negative impacts to the Mombasa economy include;
*Market disruptions
*Danger to the environment
*Increased debts
*Collapse of towns
*Destruction and loss of the agricultural crops, natural vegetation and water bodies
* Involuntary resettlement.

1) MARKET DISRUPTIONS.
With reduced travel time and costs, coupled with safer travelling conditions, the SGR was set to become the preffered mode of transportation for passengers and cargo owners hence taking a huge percentage of them off the roads.

2) DANGER TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
Pollution from dust , exhausts emmissions, waste materials, oil spillage, noise and vibrations from equipments and locomotives is bound to occur during construction and operation of the railway. This makes the Mombasa county to use a lot of funds.

3) INVOLUNTARY RESETTLEMENT
Many people were displaced from their homes during the construction of SGR. Even though they were promised to be compensated some people were not refunded hence they were left homeless.

4) INCREASED INSECURITIES
The construction of SGR has increased insecurities in Mombasa county as people want to earn a kilivi from any means and since job opportunities are few they join the gangs in order to earn a living.

5) EFFECTS ON HEALTHY
Due to the destruction of environment many people have developed healthy issues like respiratory diseases which have affected them badly

All in all as it may seem the SGR has alot of negave impacts on the economy but they cannot outwin the positive impacts as the SGR has led to urbanization.
It has also improved tourism in the country as more tourists are seen in the country and many use the SGR as a means of transport as it connects to the different parts of the country.


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