The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said that the Blue Line Rail would be running on electric tracks with Electric Motor Vehicle (EMV), warning residents to keep off the train lines and ensure they don’t walk on it.
This is as the governor revealed that the ongoing Blue line rail project is at 90% completion stage, with the contractors working 7 days a week so that Lagos residents will start enjoying train rides on the rail by the first quarter of 2023.
This was disclosed by Sanwo-Olu on Sunday while speaking with journalists at the Marina Train Station, after about 3 hours of inspection of the ongoing work on the Blue Line rail project and stations at the National Theatre Iganmu, Orile, Suru Alaba, Mile 2 and Marina axis of the state.
Sanwo-Olu said that the state government is on track to complete work on both the Blue and Red lines rail projects, which are intra-city, to strengthen the intermodal transportation system.
The governor also inspected a new four-coach train, which, according to him, is the typical train that would be used on the blue line, adding that the state government has concluded plans to bring additional two sets of 4-train coaches from China between September and October.
What the Lagos State Governor is saying
Sanwo-Olu said that adequate security will be put in place at every train station and platform with the use of CCTV.
The governor said, ”This is the first time I am taking you on the blue line to see where we are. The first phase of the Blue line rail project starts from Mile 2 and terminates at Marina.
”Marina Station is an elevated station and it stretches out to outer Marina and terminates where the Governor’s residence is. At the end of the station, you could see that the track is broken into two bridges. The backtrack is for parking.
”We are happy that the contractors are working seven days a week. The major aspect apart from the Marina Station is a sea crossing from Eko Bridge to join the outer Marina. They would finish it in about three months.
”We will be coming back in July, during which the concrete construction should have been completed.’’
Lagos State Government to go after rail track vandals
- Sanwo-Olu condemned the level of vandalism along the rail corridors and warned perpetrators to desist from such evil acts.
- He said that the government would go after companies that buy vandalised rail tracks infrastructure and that culprits would be traced and made to face the full wrath of the law.
What you should know
- The Blue rail line which is part of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit will run 27.5 km from Marina to Okokomaiko, with 13 stations and an end-to-end journey time of 35 minutes. The entire Blue Line will operate over a secure and exclusive right-of-way, with no level crossings and no uncontrolled access by pedestrians or vehicles.
- The route will run on the surface in the central reservation of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway between Igbo-Elerin Road (Okokomaiko) and Iganmu. The line will then be elevated from Iganmu along the south side of the expressway passing the junction with Eric Moore Road, crossing just south of the National Theatre to Iddo, then south to Lagos Island with a terminal at Marina.