For those who have had a chance to travel to countries that have organized transport systems, like metros, RERs, modern public transportation systems, etc– it’s no secret that we have miles to run before we can reach that stage.
In June 2020, when I saw Kampala City Council Authority’s (KCCA) new public transport route map that taxi and bus operators would have started using with effect from 4th June 2020 after weeks of lockdown I was amazed, it resembled a well-organized metro system. This week, a tweet from Evannakita has reignited these dreams of what she called The finished map of my Kampala fantasy metro! The metro map was made for purposes of selling branded shirts, desk mats, phone cases, mugs, etc by its creators, to sell on their e-commerce website Redbubble— but we can’t shake off the feeling that it could a reality in Uganda one day.
The multi-colored straight lines on the map give an illusion of a future high-tech transportation system that Kampala dwellers can only dream of. One would only wish we had such an underground railway system in Kampala. A functioning mass transit system is most important to back up mobility in large cities and conglomerations. Many other countries like the USA, UK, Singapore, China, etc have a similar transportation system due to the high people and vehicle traffic in those cities.
It has taken countries like France over 90 years to have a mature working metro system. My first underground travel experience was in Paris in 2012, I was amazed at how the system works. The Paris Metro opened on 19 July 1900, and the subway has grown gradually, inaugurating the last line in 1998. This line is considered one of the most modern worldwide. Currently, Paris Metro has 303 lines and is 136 miles (219 km) long. It’s so organized in such a way that passengers can use the same travel card and the difference between the underground and train is barely noticeable. Singapore’s MRT (Mass Rapid Transit system) system was first proposed in 1967 by the planners of the State and City Planning Project and started operations on 7 November 1987. This shows that such mega projects take time and there are no shortcuts.
If we had such infrastructure in Uganda, it will reduce traffic jams, reduce unnecessary road accidents, and provide cheap transportation (if subsidized by the government) among the various merits that come with a metro subway system.
The finished map of my Kampala fantasy metro!
Now back to our fantasy map. The metro route is well thought of and squeaky clean– having well-demarcated routes with metro stop locations to clearly guide passengers and drivers to their destination, however, most transport systems use route numbers than names. Kampala’s day population is about 5 million and 2 million by night. This implies that about 3 million people come in and out of the city on a daily basis.
The red line on the map is the core of the metro that starts from Entebbe Airport through Kajjansi, Kampala, and then straight to Mukono. The next core metro line is in yellow and comes from Nsanji (Mpigi), Kyengera, Kampala to Portbell. The next core line is one that comes from Wakiso West, Nansana, through Kampala to Kyeitaba. The final metro core line is represented in color blue from Matugga, Kawanda, Kampala until Munyonyo. I called all these core lines as they all pass through Main Kampala Station, but let’s not also forget the green line that interlinks into Kampala but at a different location.
The detailed Map
A zoomed-out shot of the map shows how detailed the metro will be filly incorporating into the existing Uganda Railway routes. But planning your route would be very paramount, for example, if you stay in Kasangati and want to go to the Airport, using the green line, you will have to go via the Mulago station, Makerere University, Kyagwe road, Taxi Park until to reach the red core line at Sikh Road station in Kampala. It’s at this point one changes to the red line that reaches the airport.
Possible challenges of a Metro in Kampala
However much I would love our beautiful city surrounded by seven hills to have a great underground metro system to ease transportation and cut on the traffic jam situation above the ground, our government is not ready to embark on such a complex project. As Ugandans, we seem to prioritize the now and forget to plan for the future. Other experts have argued that making Kampala a futuristic city is close to impossible now with all the land issues to mentions but a few. Also, there’s a question of land ownership of say 43 meters below street level, who would own it? Will the owner need compensation? Would the government create more laws? We would be better off with a whole new city, but if you would insist on Kampala, we would opt for an overground or hybrid metro-system like in some parts of Dubai.
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We would face several challenges as a country if we were to embark on such a huge project. This includes; funding, corruption, engineering construction challenges, unstable power system, environmental impact, underground noise or air pollution, natural hazards, the establishment of laws and regulations for safety risk management, and underground metro robberies. The list is endless.
Let’s also consider Metro subway station fires that often have serious consequences because of the high density of people and a limited number of exits in a relatively enclosed space. The urgent demands for land resources in urban development, more and more underground spaces, such as subway metro stations, underground malls, parking lots, water, Optic fiber cable, and so on, are explored and constructed. Due to the compact structure, high population density, limited number of exits, and other factors, serious consequences can be induced by disasters in subway stations, which have become a great public concern.
In conclusion, as a developing nation all this is just a dream, but still in the grasp of future generations. This requires governments that have long-term plans to predict and the zeal to implement futuristic transportation in Kampala or how any new city will look like in the next 50 -100years. What do you think about Kampala having a Metro system? Leave us a comment below.
