The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), North Eastern District, has opened a five kilometre rail track from Bauchi State to Inkil along the Bauchi-Gombe Road for passengers and students on excursions.

The Railway District Manager (RDM), Aliyu Mainasara, stated this during the unveiling of the rail line services in Bauchi on Wednesday.

During the pre-test and commencement of the rail services, the train conveyed the RDM, management team, and passengers from Bauchi station to Inkill community to and fro state capital.

Mainasara said the rail services would run from Monday to Saturday three times a day with N200 per trip from Bauchi station to the Inkill community.

He noted that each trip would be accompanied by security personnel to protect passengers and their belongings.

“The train has the capacity of conveying about 70 to 100 passengers with comforting facilities,” he added.

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The RDM, however, said full services would commence on Monday, September 5, 2022, with daily and monthly schedules.

Mainasara said the eastern district has not run a single train in the last seven years due to challenges posed by insecurity and vandalism of its track.

He noted that the initiative would accord the citizens and children to test the rail services, saying there were people who have not experienced rail services.

“With this, the children from schools would go for an excursion from Bauchi station to Inkil Community which is five kilometers from Bauchi station.

“By the end of this year, we will extend the services to Alkaleri Local Government Area of the state up to Gombe State respectively.

“Presently our team of engineers in the district are working 24/7 on the track for the expansion of the scope of services to the Alkaleri LGA of the state.

“The moment we fix the tracks up to Alkaleri, I’m very optimistic that believes, we will start to run our trains as well as to Gombe state respectively,” the RDM added.

Mainasara, however, urged stakeholders to support the initiative of the North-East District office of the corporation with credible information to ensure effective surveillance and protection of the tracks.

The Star