The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has said that narrow gauge rail lines were not inferior to the standard gauge lines. He made this clarification in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, March 14, in Lagos. According to him, the only difference between the two lines was speed. Amaechi was reacting to allegations that the narrow gauge lines were inferior, sub-standard, and outdated in other parts of the world. It was gathered that some stakeholders had accused the minister of recommending the narrow gauge to the federal government instead of the standard gauge to maximise the benefits of modern rail transportation. However, Amaechi explained that the Eastern rail line was going to have both the narrow and standard gauges, adding that the cost of the standard gauge, feasibility, and time frame informed the choice. The minister said it was cheaper to rehabilitate the narrow gauge, which would cost about $3.2 billion dollars, and could be delivered within the approved time frame.