Lagos State’s second metro train, the Red Line, may not commence commercial operations earlier than the end of third quarter of this year, it was learnt yesterday.
Eyebrows are being raised already over the continuous delay in the commencement of operations since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inaugurated the project on February 29.
For many, the state government ought not to have pressured the President to inaugurate the project if it was not yet ready for use.
The Lagos State Government started work on the Red Line in October 2021, as part of the fallout of the Federal Government’s COVID-19 palliative support to states, with the Central Bank rallying six commercial banks to support the completion of the Blue Line and the construction of the Red, which shared the same corridor with the national rail network.
It was completed three years later.
It was further learnt that the quest to ensure the safety of the rail corridor is behind the delayed rollout of commercial operation of the Red Line.
The Red Line cuts through the heart of Lagos mainland, beginning from Oyingbo, running through Yaba, Mushin, Oshodi, Ikeja, Agege, Iju up to Agbado in Ogun State.
Checks revealed that the Lagos State Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) is concerned about securing the entire 13km track before it begins commercial activity on the corridor.
To achieve this, a concrete fence wall is replacing the entire stretch of the route from Oyingbo to Agbado. The concrete wall, which is being done in sections, started in March, but had suffered some delay as a result of the soaring cost of construction.
The block wall, which is replacing the wire mesh, being vandalised, will further protect the corridor from vandals and ensure that human interference when trains are fully deployed on corridor to avoid accidents.
The Mushin, as well as Agbado Train Stations, have also suffered minor delays and are yet to be delivered. Checks revealed that work is being accelerated on the two stations to ensure seamless operation when the train begins commercial operation.
The continued delay may however, favour the deployment of the three units of coaches being expected from the China Rail Manufacturing Corporation (CRMC) where Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had led a delegation and placed an order for six units of coaches, (three apiece for both Blue and Red Lines) in addition to the three presently on ground to increase the passenger carriage capacity.
A source said LAMATA never gave any time frame within which the Red Line will commence commercial activity.
He said LAMATA has established a tradition of excellence concerning the train operation, and will not hurry or rush into activating commercial activity when it was obvious that there are impediments to its smooth operation.
The source who pointed out that the agency took its time also on the Blue Line rail, said despite the fact that the Line was commissioned on January 24, 2023, it did not begin commercial operation until September 4, 2023
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He said the beauty of the waiting is that Lagosians have not experienced a downtime on the corridor since it commenced operation despite the complexities involved in its operation, being the first electric metroline, not only in Nigeria, but in the West African sub-region.
According to the source, though the Red Line is diesel propelled, LAMATA is being careful to ensure that the safety of passengers and users are not compromised before it fully rolls out operation.
He urged Lagosians, especially those living along the border communities, to remain patient as everything is being done to ensure the safety of the Red Line.
When fully operational, the first phase of the Red Line from Oyingbo to Agbado is expected to carry about 500,000 passengers monthly, and this is expected to grow to about 1.5 million passengers monthly when the red line is fully on stream.
