Blue rail on track, says Sanwo-Olu

By Oziegbe Okoeki

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday, performed the completion of the closure of the continuous beam of the Lagos Blue Line Light Rail project – Sea Crossing Bridge at Ebute Ero, Lagos.

In his remarks at the ceremony, the governor said the project was top priority for his administration, “as it is critical to the achievement of our prioritized pillar of traffic management and transportation in our project THEMES development agenda”.

Adding that it was basically to reduce travel time through an effective and efficient inter modal transport system which is also key to the building of a 21st century economy which is central to the vision of a greater Lagos.

“Today’s ceremony underscores our bold commitment to the completion of the Blue Line Rail project. It is a loud attestation to our pledge to revive the rail project and ensure that we bring it to completion and passenger operation”.

Sanwo-Olu said his government was also working very hard to commence the Red Line from Agbado to Marina and had recently advertised four other rail lines for investors to show interest under the design, build, operate, maintain and transfer model of Public-Private-Partnership arrangement.

The rail lines, according to him, are: 68 kilometres – Green Line from Marina through Victoria Island, Lekki Phases 1 and 2, Ajah, Ogombo, Lekki Airport to Lekki Free Trade Zone; 60 kilometres – Purple Line from the Redemption Camp going through Ogba, Iyana Ipaja, Igando and terminating at Ojo.

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34 kilometres – Yellow Line from Otta through Isheri Osun, Ejigbo Mafoluku, Isolo to national Theatre and 48 kilometres – Orange Line from Ikeja coursing through Mile 12, Ikorodu, Alapadi, Eligana, Isiwu, Imota and terminating at Agbowa.

“The state government is also soon to commence construction of eight quality bus corridors in strategic areas of the state. These quality bus corridors is the government’s initiative aimed at giving dedicated road space and traffic signal priority to mass transit buses in order to reduce journey times and improve service consistency.

In her speech Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Lagos Metropolitan  Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Abimbola Akinajo said the construction of the Blue line rail project began in 2009 and that the state government had successfully completed 85 per cent of phases 1-4 of the project which entails all civil infrastructure from Mile 2 to Marina.

Other dignitaries at the event were: Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, Exco members, Managing Director, Lagos Bus Services Limited (LBSL), Idowu Oguntona, Managing Director, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Oluwadamilola Emmanuel and the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos, Chu Maoming.