Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, made a promise recently to ensure Lagosians no longer waste time in traffic. He spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Lagos mass transit Red Line train. The new rapid rail system, he said, will be operational in December 2022. It is part of the traffic management plan to bring alive the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Master-plan, which includes the Red and Blue Lines.
The ceremony was held at the site of the Ikeja Train Station. The Red Line, a project of the Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority (LAMATA), will have eight train stations – from Agbado to Oyingbo. The Red Line, designed to complement the Blue Line that traverses from Okokomaiko to Marina, is expected to raise mass transportation capacity in the state. The Blue Line is at 78 per cent completion. The Red line will be 30km long and will run between Marina and Agbado; and the Blue line will be 27km long, connecting Okokomaiko to Marina.
The project is being handled by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), is the second light rail project of the state. The construction of the first line, the LRMT Blue Line project, began in 2010.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said: “Our desire is to achieve improved connectivity amongst transport modes, making commuting within Lagos easy as well as business-like for every Lagosian and visitor. An efficient and sustainable transportation system will increase mobility, improve living conditions, and promote economic growth. The Lagos Gross Domestic Product accounted for 26.7 per cent of Nigeria’s total GDP and more than 50 per cent of non-oil GDP. Over 50 per cent of Nigeria’s non-oil industrial capacity is located in Lagos. Since transportation is the backbone of any economy, it then means we need to invest in our transport infrastructure so that our people can meet their daily targets and aspirations,” he added.
The General Manager of LAMATA, Mrs. AbimbolaAkinajo, said the state would deliver the rail lines in the last quarter of next year.
Mrs. Akinajo said: “These two lines will change the transport landscape of Lagos when operational. We have a transport master plan which speaks to the vision of Gov. BabajideSanwo-Olu on transportation. We have six rail lines and one monorail, 14 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridors, over 20 water routes and we are sure that when all of these are properly harnessed, Lagos will join the league of cities with an efficient transport system.
“We have advertised four other rail lines for the private sector to invest. We are working on the private sector so they could bring in about 1,500 high capacity buses by 2022. We would be launching our First Mile Last Mile scheme very soon. We are working on the construction of two interchanges at Mile 2 and CMS. We want to ensure that Lagosians travel in comfort. The plan is to ensure that Lagosians begin to enjoy the benefits of an intermodal integrated transport system, which provides choices for Lagos commuters without stress to achieve their daily commute needs, and meet up their economic and social engagements.”
She added that the Lagos Rail Mass Transit would use electric power, signaling, rolling stock, and fare collection equipment. The facilities, she said, would be provided via a Concession Contract.
Jiang Yigao, the managing director of the CCECC, said the project would solve the transportation challenges in the state. Yigao said the 32-km Red Line would be constructed in three phases. “It is noteworthy that the project, when completed, will ensure faster movement of people and will reduce the congestion on the roads,” Jiang said.
Sanwo-Olu said the north-south mass transit line running 37 km from Marina to Agbado is to be built in three phases, with the initial section between Agbado to Oyingbo serving eight stations expected to be operational by the last quarter of 2022. The bulk of the route between Agbado and Iddo will share an alignment with NRC’s Lagos – Ibadan main line, which has recently been reconstructed to 1 435 mm gauge. Dedicated tracks are to be provided for the suburban service between Oyingbo and the main line terminus at Ebute-Metta.
The governor said the southern section of the route would follow a new alignment from Ebute-Metta to Marina, where interchange would be provided to the 27 km east-west Blue Line from Okokomaiko, which has been under construction since 2010, and is reported to be 78 per cent complete. The Red Line, which is expected to cut journey times between Agbado and the city centre from the current 2½ hours to around 35 minutes, is projected to carry more than 1 million passengers/day when fully operational. The first phase will have a design capacity for 500 000 passengers/day.
The Red Line will interchange with local bus services at Oyingbo, Yaba, Oshodi, Ikeja and Iju and connect with the future Orange Line from Ikeja to Agbowa, while an elevated walkway would connect the railway to MurtalaMuhammed International Airport. It is being funded through a government financing package put in place by the Central Bank of Nigeria, described as a Differentiated Cash Reserve Requirement. Sanwo-Olu said: “Today’s flag-off for the construction of infrastructure for the Red Line demonstrates our commitment to achieve the objectives of traffic management and transportation pillar in our development agenda. We recognise the role which an efficient transportation system plays in enhancing people’s quality of life and as a major driver of socio-economic development.”
The Rail Mass Transit Red Line will transport over one million commuters daily and help address the transportation challenges Lagosians face daily. Many will be displaced from their homes and offices as a result of the project and the state has taken care of their compensation to minimise the effect of such displacements to people and businesses. The governor said the state government had worked out a generous compensation package for all those directly and indirectly affected by verifying all bonafide property owners in areas earmarked for the project. The state has identified 263 Project Affected Persons (PAPs) and cheques were presented to 25 residents/tenants out of 263 whose properties, businesses and accommodation would be affected by the project. Business owners and tenants of the affected buildings, Sanwo-Olu said, would also be compensated so as to reduce their pains. The names of all those that forfeited their belongings, the governor said, will be permanently etched in the annals of the state.
Those compensated at the event included the Ikeja Club with the sum of N78,659,000 and Blessing Okhawere (tenant) with the sum of N140,000. Also, another beneficiary, AlimiDaudu, was compensated with the sum of N12,213,180, among others.
Sanwo-Olu said: “For the first time in the history of paying compensation, we are not just paying compensation to landlords; we are also paying compensation to tenants and business owners who are tenants to these properties. We are doing that to ensure that no one is left behind; we do not want to displace anyone of their economic activity right now. We want to reposition them and make sure that Lagos can provide the opportunity for them on an ongoing basis.
“I implore you to cooperate with the contractors as we implement this life-changing and impacting project for the seamless mobility of all Lagosians.”
- B’ojo a media professional, lives in Lagos sent in the piece from bentop3000@gmail.com
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