Cross River State Government working in partnership with some private investors has commenced the construction of a 365-kilometres of railway to be completed at an estimated cost of US$350 million.

Governor Bassey Otu, while performing the groundbreaking ceremony for the project at the Tinapa Free Zone Resort in Calabar said the railway line would connect the southern part of the state to its northern extremities.

At the event which took place on Tuesday, Otu disclosed that the project was a Public-Private Partnership funded initiative driven by Messers Reinhoke LLC in partnership with the state government.

The governor said the railway project was one of the fruits yielded by the Investment Summit held in August 2023, at the Calabar International Convention Centre.

He said the state government had a robust engagement with financial, infrastructure and social investment players, seeking buy-in, in the growth trajectory of the state’s economy.

“Today, therefore, marks an important milestone in our quest to expand and diversify the stock of our infrastructure by partnering with Messers Reinhoke LLC for the construction of the Grandlito Railway Project that will run from Calabar to Obudu.

“On completion, the project will cover an approximate distance of 365km with main terminals in Calabar and Obudu; while three sub-stations will be located at Ugep, Ikom and Ogoja,” Otu said.