NAIROBI, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The construction of the second phase of the 120 km Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) will not affect the wildlife habitat, the wildlife agency said late on Thursday.
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Director General Kitili Mbathi told a media briefing in Nairobi that only six kilometres of the SGR will pass through the Nairobi National park.
"We have taken appropriate mitigation efforts to ensure that the Nairobi-Naivasha railway has minimal environmental impact," Mbathi said.
"We are going to use bridges across the park to ensure that wildlife migratory paths are not obstructed," he added.
The Director General said that SGR will enter the Nairobi National Park eight meters above the ground via a bridge and exit at 41 meters above the ground. The railway line will sit on pillars that will be 32 meters apart.
Phase one of the SGR which has already been completed, runs from Mombasa to Nairobi and has a 140 km section through the Tsavo National Park.
"We have collared some of the elephants to track their movements and so far it appears that they have adapted positively to the SGR," he said.
