Oshodi interchange ‘moved 1.6m passengers in 250 days’

Our Reporter

No fewer than 1.6 million passengers have been transported through the Oshodi transport interchange in 250 days, Chief Executive of Planet Projects, Biodun Otunola, said on Sunday.

Planet Projects which conceived the idea in conjunction with the Lagos State government, the financiers, operates the transport hub.

Only Terminal 3, through which passengers commuted to some part of Lagos is currently operating.

Terminal 1 which will operate for inter-city travels and Terminal 2 which will facilitate commuting to the Abule-Egba area of Lagos using the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) route, according to Otunola, will begin operation before or by end of April.

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The project is projected to raise funds through multiple streams, like ticketing, advertisement, in-built shops and passengers tax, when it goes into full operation.

Although, it was built by the Akinwunmi Ambode administration and inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari in May last year, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has provided “tremendous support” for it to thrive.

According to Otunola, since the inception of the Sanwo-Olu administration, the number of buses in use had increased from 35 to 100 and the routes increased from three to four.

He is also hopeful that Oshodi-Abule-Egba BRT route will be completed on schedule to enable the planned take off of Terminal 2.

The Terminals are complete with reception/waiting areas, loading bays, ticketing booths, Wi-FI and other e-support and a link corridor.

Otunola, who described the Oshodi Transport Interchange as the best in Africa, said it was conceived, designed and built solely by Nigerians. He said everything about it was done within two and a half year period with the men working round-the-clock at the time.

Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr.Gbenga Omotoso, who hailed the project, said the position of the Sanwo-Olu administration is that all on-going projects must be completed to provide service to the people.