The Lagos State Government has warned residents to avoid crossing the track of the Blue Rail line which is set to commence full commercial operations on Monday (tomorrow), as it is electrified and dangerous.
The warning was given by the Chief Press Secretary to the Lagos State Governor, Gboyega Akosile, through a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, adding that citizens should instead use the overhead bridges provided by the government.
What the Lagos State Governor’s media aide is saying
- The tweet post from Akosile reads, “Dear Lagosians, please be reminded as we kick off the commercial operations of the Lagos Blue Line Rail transport on Monday, that the rail line is electrified. Don’t cross the rail lines because it is dangerous. Use the overhead bridges that have been provided by the government.”
Rail line to be electrified
Meanwhile, in a video clip that was posted by the Akosile on X, the General Manager of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, Abimbola Akinajo, also urged residents to respect the regulations regarding the Blue Rail line in order to avoid very bad situations.
She said the Blue Line would be an electrified rail system and as such insisted that those who want to cross from one side to the other must use the overhead bridges.
- She said, “With regards to the operations of the Blue Line in particular, we all know that we have publicised that the Blue Line is going to be an electrified rail system. If you want to cross from one side to the other, you must use the overhead bridges.
- “This is a necessity for all of us to understand and we have fenced all along the alignment for the Blue Line to ensure that people do not cross it. But what we see time and again is that people go there and they cut the fences and they run across. We have bothered to put pedestrian crossings; there is access for people with physical challenges, and therefore we have no reason to cross the track.”
What you should know
Recall that on August 30, 2023, the Lagos State Government announced that the first phase of the Blue Rail Line will commence commercial operation on Monday, September 4, 2023, noting that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on board, along with other passengers, from Marina to Mile 2 Train Station.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari on January 24, 2023, commissioned the first phase of the Blue Rail Line (from Marina to Mile 2) in Lagos State.
The President alongside Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat commissioned the project at the Marina Train Station in the state.
The President also witnessed the signing of the commencement of Phase 2 of the project from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko.
The Blue rail line, 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 state government had in February 2023, commenced a 2-month test running of the 13-kilometre Lagos Blue Line train service.
