Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State celebrated the milestone occasion of the completion of the first phase of the electricity-powered Lagos Rail Mass Transit Blue Line in the state on Wednesday.
The first phase of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line stretches from Marina to Mile 2, a 13- kilometre stretch out of the total of 27km that is the entire Blue Line which will run from Marina to Okokomaiko. The Blue line will be powered by electricity to be supplied from a standalone Independent Power Plant, and the first phase will cover the five Stations of Marina, National Theatre, Iganmu, Alaba, and Mlie-2.
“This milestone in the development of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) is the culmination of several impactful reforms in the transport ecosystem of Lagos State, starting in 1999, the dawn of the fourth Republic, when our Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office as the democratically-elected Governor of Lagos State.
“The Lagos that Asiwaju inherited was very different from the Lagos we know today. It was a struggling metropolis, burdened by many challenges, ranging from waste management to deficiencies in critical infrastructure to rampant insecurity and a demoralized public service.
“Asiwaju wasted no time getting down to work, to develop the masterplan and roadmap that have consistently guided the development of the State since then. Among the many components of Asiwaju’s vision for a Greater Lagos, is the Strategic Transport Master Plan (STMP), which laid out the foundation for a network of robust and modern transport infrastructure befitting the 21st century: six rail lines and one monorail, 14 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridors, over 20 water routes and a number of major new roads.
“I want to also place on record the role played by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under the leadership of Mr Godwin Emefiele. The CBN’s Differentiated Cash Reserves Requirement (DCRR) made it possible for three banks, Fidelity Bank Plc, Sterling Bank Plc and Access Bank Plc to pool resources together to provide credit financing for the completion of this first phase of the Blue Line. I am grateful to the leadership of the three banks for believing in us.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu added that the project belongs to the state’s residents and urged them to safeguard it. “You should also bear in mind that this rail system is powered by electricity and must therefore not be trespassed in any way. Crossing the tracks is no longer an option, and the issue of vandalism in any form should never even arise at all,” he added.
He said, “Very soon, in the first quarter of 2023, we will put together a fitting official commissioning. Until then, we have an important phase of test-running to carry out, to ensure that everything is in place and in order, for the kick-off of full commercial operations.