Abuja Airport Closure Hikes Passengers For Nigerian Railway Corporation
Indications have emerged that since the closure of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Nigerian Railway Corporation has recorded increase in the number of passengers seeking its train services.
Checks showed that the Nigerian Railway Corporation is currently conveying not less than 6000 passengers from Kaduna to Abuja and back per week as against 2000 passengers.
Our correspondent gathered from the Corporation that two 88-seater standard coaches have been designated based on terms of agreement between Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)and Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC)for passengers who wished to travel by rail to Abuja from Kaduna as well as those willing to travel from Abuja to Kaduna to board flights to various parts of the country.
The Director of Operations of the Corporation Niyi Alli said that the number of passengers that opted to use the standard guage railway from Kaduna to Iddu/Kubwa and back on the three scheduled trip ranged between 90 and 150 passengers daily.
He added that passengers with genuine flight tickets are not expected to pay any additional payments to enjoy the service as FAAN already made block booking for the two designated coaches.
Alli disclosed that prior to the closure of the Abuja Airport about 6,000 passengers were conveyed in the First Class and Standard Coaches par week on the journey between the two Capitals.
Deputy Director, Public Relations Mr. Mamud also said that in view of the anticipated upsurge in the demand for passenger train service following the closure of the Abuja Airport the frequency of the one rack passenger train has been increased from four to six trains daily.
He said when passengers disembark the train at Iddu/ Kubwa there are designated buses positioned to convey passengers/luggages to their various destinations.
Commenting on the service Mr Eric Umezurike who boarded Ethiopia Airline stated that the profiling at the Abuja Airport before entering the designated commercial buses as well as the train at Kaduna was two cumbersome.
He noted that the journey from Kaduna to Abuja which used to last for one hour .thirty minutes now takes about three and half hours due to traffic gridlock.