The Lagos State Government has warned against uncoordinated physical developments along alignments of the ongoing Regional road, particularly Shapatta, near the Victoria Garden City (VGC), where it ordered the immediate suspension of developments.
The construction of that Lekki Regional Road is expected to help decongest traffic within the Lekki sub-region as work progresses on the project.
The warning was given by the Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Idris Salako, on Thursday, during a routine monitoring visit to the construction sites.
Salako was totally dissatisfied with the alarming rate of illegal and haphazard development going on along Harrison Drive, Shapatta, behind VGC, Lekki and expressed concern that unruly developers have continued to build indiscriminately along the axis, noting that the trend could cause blight from the onset.
The Commissioner emphasized that the Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law 2019 (as amended) is still in force and gave owners of all unapproved developments in the area 14 days to regularise with the Ministry while he, subsequently, issued a suspension order on fresh developments.
Dr. Salako insisted on prompt compliance with the directive, warning that the State Government would, henceforth, not hesitate to remove any uncomplying developments.
What you should know
Recall that in May 2020, the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, flagged off the construction of the long-awaited Lekki regional road, which is expected to decongest the constant traffic jam along the main Lekki-Epe Expressway, by linking the Lekki-Epe Expressway at Victoria Garden City (VGC) Junction to the Freedom Way in Eti Osa.
The governor said that the project is expected to run for the next 2 years and should be ready for commissioning in 2022 when his administration celebrates its third anniversary in office.
The road project will create access to Victoria Garden City, Ikate Elegushi, Ikota, Chevron Drive, Ajiran, Pinnock Beach Estate, Gracefield Island and Orange Island while serving as an alternative to the Eti-Osa-Epe Expressway.