Lagos Blue Line Rail Ready For Commissioning By Buhari In January – Sanwo-Olu

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said that the newly completed Lagos Blue Line Rail project is now ready for commissioning in January (2023) by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Sanwo-Olu disclosed this on Wednesday when he led his Deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, members of the State cabinet, reporters and members of the public to take the first trip aboard the electric-powered rail infrastructure, from the National Theatre Station to the station in Marina.

The governor had in August promised that the first phase of the project, spanning 13 kilometres and extend from Mile 2 to Marina, covering five stations, would be completed by December. He expressed happiness that he fulfilled his promise.

The project, which is part of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) being constructed by Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), started in 2010 under the administration of Babatunde Fashola.

However, it experienced some delays under the administration of Akinwunmi Ambode, before the current administration restarted it in 2019.

According to Sanwo-Olu, Lagos became the first sub-national government in Africa to fund and deliver a rail system from the State’s balance sheet, adding that the milestone was a culmination of reforms initiated in the transport ecosystem of the state, which started under Bola Tinubu’s administration.

He informed that the construction of the second phase of the project, spanning 14-kilometre from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko, will be launched immediately afte commissioning of the first phase in January.

He said: “The completion of the infrastructure for the first phase of the Lagos Blue Line rail is a strong testimony of our commitment to building on the legacies of past administrations, and the pioneering vision of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. 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, starting in 1999.

“The Tinubu administration developed the Strategic Transport Master Plan (STMP), which laid out the foundation for a network of robust and modern transport infrastructure befitting the 21st century city. The master plan has six rail lines and one monorail, 14 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridors, over 20 water routes and a number of major new roads. Central to the implementation of the transport master plan is LAMATA established in 2002.

“Over the last two decades, that masterplan has been faithfully implemented by successive administrations. Today, we are making history with the completion of historic rail line, which is the first phase of the Blue Line. The road to the completion of this project, no doubt, has had an interesting story of delays, which were not due to a lack of enthusiasm or commitment on the part of the State Government. Now, we have put the challenges behind us; from now on, we will focus on the benefits of this project for our people.”

Sanwo-Olu urged Logosians to safeguard the infrastructure, saying: “To the good people of Lagos, this project is for you and your families. It is about your livelihood and sustenance. We promised to make your life better by this project, which will help you to commute from one part of the city to another in a safe and secure manner. We gave you this commitment and now, we have kept our promises.

“We thank you for your patience and for bearing with us in the face of all the inconveniences thrown up by the implementation of the Light Rail network. This project is for you; ensure you safeguard it. Bear in mind that this rail system is powered by electricity; there must not be a trespass on it in any way. Crossing the tracks is no longer an option. Anyone who attempts vandalism on the track put his life at great risk. Pedestrian bridges have been provided to enable pedestrian crossings.”

The Managing Director of LAMATA, Engr. Abimbola Akinajo, described the journey towards the completion of the project as Challenging, because of the hitches that were encountered.

Akinajo disclosed that passengers will use the State’s unified electronic payment system known as Cowry card, currently being used for BRT and regulated ferry services.

She said: “Construction of the Blue Line has been one of the most challenging projects undertaken by Lagos Government, given many hitches that had to be overcome. To get to the point of completion, we have had disturbances and delays in the relocation of submarine cables, gas pipelines and removal of shipwrecks. This made the construction of submarine pillar extremely difficult.

“Today, the story has changed. We are taking the first ride in the train, which marks the beginning of our testing phases for the Blue Line. Passengers will use the State’s unified electronic payment system known as Cowry card currently being used for BRT and regulated ferry services. The completion of civil infrastructure work is the manifestation of the audacious mind and courage of the Governor.”

The rail line, which begins operations after test running, is expected to move 250,000 passengers daily.