The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), has announced that the infrastructure for the first phase of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LMRT) Blue Line is ready.
This disclosure is contained in a press release signed by the Consultant, Corporate Communication of LAMATA, Mr. Kolawole Ojelabi.
Ojelabi in the statement said the completion of the infrastructure is in fulfillment of the promise made by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu that the project would be completed in the last quarter of 2022, ahead of the commencement of passenger operations slated for the first quarter of 2023.
He explained that the LRMT Blue Line is one of the six rail lines and monorail prescribed for Lagos in the state’s Strategic Transport Master Plan (STMP).
The completed phase has 5 train stations
Ojelabi said that the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Blue Line is a 27-kilometre rail system from Marina to Okokomaiko. He pointed out that the construction has been divided into phases for ease of implementation and is expected to move more than 500,000 passengers when the entire line is completed.
- He said, “Governor Sanwo-Olu had, while campaigning for the office of Governor, promised to complete the infrastructure for the first phase of the LRMT Blue Line and bring it to passenger operation.
- “The first phase is a 13-kilometre stretch from Marina to Mile 2 and has five stations at Mile 2, Suru-Alaba, Orile Iganmu, National Theatre and Marina. It is expected to move about 200,000 passengers daily.’’
Ojelabi pointed out that the rail system would be powered by electricity from an independent power plant to be purposely built for its operation.
Similarly, the Managing Director of LAMATA, Engr. Mrs. Abimbola Akinajo averred that the completion of the infrastructure for the first phase of the LRMT Blue Line is a testimonial of the importance of public transportation to Governor Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES agenda.
For the records
- Governor Sanwo-Olu had at different for an assurance that the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LMRT) Blue Line would be ready before the end of 2022.
- 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, and then south to Lagos Island with a terminal at Marina.
