Nairobi South Station ticket check-in Photo: Yang Qiong
International Online Report (Reporter Yang Qiong): The Kenya Standard Gauge Railway is one of the major projects undertaken by Chinese enterprises in Africa. On July 13, the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway passenger train, which has been suspended for more than three months due to the epidemic, officially resumed operations.
At about 8 a.m., the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway passenger train, which had been suspended for 97 days, carried 482 passengers from Nairobi Station to Mombasa.
Due to the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, Kenya has previously issued a "lockdown order" in Nairobi, Mombasa and other places, and the Mombasa-Nairobi railway passenger trains between the two places have been suspended since April 7. With kenya's socio-economic restart, the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway officially resumed operations on July 13. Taking into account that Kenya is still implementing a "curfew", the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway has adjusted its passenger schedule to run a pair of trains per day. In order to do a good job in epidemic prevention and control, the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway has sold 50% of the tickets in accordance with the requirements of the "compartment", and all of them are currently sold out in both directions. Li Jiuping, general manager of the African Star Railway Operation Company, told reporters: "In response to the requirements of the government, we have made very full preparations before this, from the passengers entering the station to detect the disinfection of the waiting room seats, the seats keep a distance, all the way to the platform, passengers evenly enter the station, not crowded, all the way to the train, our train tickets are also sold according to the next seat, our entire group is now 13 groups, there is a fixed section on the car is an isolation car, in case there is a problem on the train, we are through temporary parking, let him on the isolation car." Because I sold tickets in the next seat, it was all full until now, and it will be full tomorrow. ”
Mombasa-Nairobi Railway prepares hand sanitizer for every passenger entering the station Photo: Yang Qiong
Kenya has reported more than 10,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, of which more than 80% are asymptomatic. In order to ensure safety, the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway has developed a manual for epidemic prevention of passenger services. Li Jiuping introduced: "Although we have a temperature check at the station, it may not be detected because he is asymptomatic. In response to this situation, we conducted pre-job training for our members, and for asymptomatic infections, our requirements for flight attendants are to be fully armed, basically masks, protective clothing, goggles, gloves, including disinfection supplies on the car, we are all ready. ”
Despite the previous suspension of passenger services on the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway, freight trains carrying much-needed medical supplies and necessities have played an active role in helping Kenya fight the COVID-19 pandemic. As of June 30, the standard-gauge railway had sent a total of 196,000 TEUs of goods, including grain and anti-epidemic materials. In June, the standard gauge railway between Nairobi, kenya's capital, and the coastal city of Mombasa, ran 422 freight trains, averaging 14 trains per day, sending a total of 34,688 TEUs, totaling 382227 tons. At the same time, the Kenyan government launched the Naivasha Inland Container Port as an important cargo transit point in East Africa during the epidemic, reducing the spread of COVID-19 in Eastern Africa.
The crew of the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway prepared sufficient epidemic prevention equipment Photo: Yang Qiong
Olivia, Deputy Manager of corporate culture at African Star, said: "As of June 30, 2020, we have transported 806 tons of supplies needed for covid-19, such as infection disinfectants, alcohol, etc. During the pandemic, the government has reduced the movement of people in the Northern Corridor. The use of the Mombasa Railway to transport goods to the Naivasha inland container port has reduced the number of truck drivers, thereby reducing human-to-human transmission in the Northern Corridor. ”
The Star of Africa Railway Operation Company said that the resumption of passenger services in the Mombasa section will further facilitate the travel of residents, reduce the chance of infection by road transport, and promote Kenya's economic development during the epidemic.