CRBC: Constructing the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway to not disturb the surrounding wild animals

Company Profile
 
As one of the first Chinese large enterprises that entered the international engineering contracting market, China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC for short) mainly focuses on the contracting of such projects as roads, bridges, ports, railways, airports, tunnels, water conservancy projects, municipal works, dredging works both at home and abroad, and has established branches and offices in more than 50 countries and regions in Asia, Africa, Europe and America. CRBC has constructed several landmarks with regional and international influence and won a number of domestic and international awards.  
 
Challenges
 
Mombasa-Nairobi Railway, a “historical milestone” named by Kenya president, is the first railway that has been newly built in Kenya over the last century and also the first international trunk railway that has adopted the Chinese standards, Chinese technology, Chinese equipment as well as the Chinese management, therefore, it has significant global impact. The project traverses the biggest wildlife reserve in Kenya—Tsavo National Park, which covers an area of more than 20,000 square kilometers and is home to almost all the animal species in Africa and where the primitive ecological environment is very precious.
 
Solutions
 
CRBC utilizes Chinese philosophy of “doing unto others as you would have them do unto you” to consider the needs of the animals along the railway and evaluate the potential side effects the construction might exert on the neighboring animals so as to work out solutions to minimize the impact on them during and after the railway construction.
 
Designing passages for animals to ensure regular animal migration 
 
The project passes through the wildlife habitats, so their migration must be affected after the railway is completed. In order to ensure the regular migration for animals, the company designs to build passages for animals to make sure their normal activity pattern remains unaffected. In order to safeguard the safe passage for large animals like giraffes, the bridges built by the company are as high as 7 meters, far higher than bridges of its kind in other places. In addition, facilities are specially designed along the railway in order to deal with water shortage for wild animals in arid seasons, and electricity quantity of fences encapsulated along the railway is also controlled not to harm the animals.
 
Strictly standardizing project construction to avoid disturbing animals
 
Mombasa-Nairobi Railway is 500 kilometers long and should be completed within 5 years, therefore, it is pressed for time and full of challenges. Considering the wildlife living in the neighborhood, the company is determined to promote civilized and standardized construction in the face of tight schedule and requires that earth borrowing and other construction actions shall be undertaken in the daytime and construction shall never be continued at night in case animals are disturbed while they are resting.
 
In order to lower the construction noise, the project department installs compartment cover and noise reduction devices on the relevant equipment and signal of “No Honking” is temporarily erected near the construction road.
 
During the arid seasons, there is an acute shortage of water in the Mtito District of Kenya, as a result, the dust starts blowing in the streets. In order to cope with the blowing dust, the company sends several watering cart to water the street unremittingly, thus effectively lowering the impact of the dust on the surrounding environment. 
 
The project requires large quantity of earth fill, so we have to dig for earth. The earth borrowing area is located far from the animal reserve so as to reduce the influence on wildlife. Meanwhile, we do not dig so deep in case the rainfall might be stored up in rainy seasons and the wild animals might fall down inadvertently and get drowned when they come for water. Furthermore, we have to backfill the pit and conduct surface reclamation and greening as soon as possible so as to regain the original ecology in time and eradicate impact on the living environment of the wildlife.
 
Working out animal emergency Plan to rescue the Trapped Wildlife
 
Affected by several external factors, the local wild animals get hurt occasionally. The company takes full advantages of its own to make animals rescue contingency plans and gets ready to provide help for the wild animals. On February 10^th, 2015, while drinking, a wild elephant fell into the water hole inadvertently in the deep forest and get trapped. As soon as Kenya Wildlife Service asked the project department of Mombasa-Nairobi Railway for assistance, the contingency plan was immediately launched and the wild elephant was finally rescued. Kenya Wildlife Service and Wildlife Conservation Society expressed sincere gratitude towards project department in saving wild animals. Both established profound friendship and close partnership in protecting the wildlife.
 
Achievements
 
Since the construction work of Mombasa-Nairobi Railway started, the company has attached great importance to preserving ecological environment and wild animals. Through the above mentioned measures, we have effectively protected rare wild animals and their habitats and created a harmonious relationship with the local community, which is highly praised by the local residents and environmental organizations, and thus helps to build a responsible Chinese corporate image so as to serve as a model for other engineering contracting enterprises in protecting ecological environment and biological diversity. By now, the project has not occurred any animal injuries, which ensured the smooth progress of the engineering and set up the responsible corporate image of CRBC, laying a good foundation for the enterprises’ sustainable and stable development in local regions.
 
Prospect
 
As an important carrier of China's strategy of “going global”, CRBC, with a perspective of long-term development, always missions with “ implement a project, set up a monument, build a railway, and benefit the local people”, aiming to help local people build roads and bridges and take practical measures to protect the local environment. CRBC establishes good corporate image with practical actions and will achieve the harmonious development of the local environment and its business.