By Macharia Kamau
Utility companies will now be required to pay for the relocation of their infrastructure from road reserves whenever there is need to expand or construct roads.
Services providers like Kenya Power, Telkom Kenya and Nairobi Water Company have previously been paid to relocate their cables, water pipes and other utility service equipment from the road reserve. The relocation cost is usually factored in the in project construction costs.
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, however, said relocating utility companies’ equipment was now becoming too costly and they would in future be required to finance the relocation of their equipment.
John Mosonik principal secretary Infrastructure said the Ministry would no longer bear any costs and instead the utility firms will pay for the relocation of their cables.
“It is becoming too costly to finance relocation of utility services such as power lines, water pipes and service cables,” he said yesterday during a tour to evaluate progress on the Southern Bypas
“We want to ensure service providers not related to road development pay for service relocation cost and have all new designs by service providers approved by road authorities.” Other factors driving up road construction costs include land acquisition and relocating affected people.
“The interchange at City Cabanas along the Eastern bypass, for instance, cost Sh3 billion to relocate utility services, acquire land and relocate affected people,” said Mosonik.
Mosonik also said court issued injunctions had become a major challenge to major road contractors.
