By Demilade Adeniyi
Lagos State public transport system will from Tuesday wear a new look as President Muhammadu Buhari flags off commercial operation of the Blue Rail line officially on Tuesday, January 24, 2023 in Marina.
The President will not only inaugurate the completed phase of the project, he would also witness the signing of contract for the second phase of the Blue line from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko.
The first phase of the Lagos rail line has five stations at Mile 2, Suru-Alaba, Orile Iganmu, National Theatre, and Marina, and is expected to move about 250,000 passengers daily when its operations commence.
The inauguration will signal the commencement of commercial operation already acknowledged by residents as iconic.
The completion which is coming after 16 long years is expected to change the Lagos transportation ecosystem as the 13km electric multiple unit (EMU) rail bus.
Some residents have already started expressing their excitement since the state government announced at the weekend, the inauguration of the project by President Buhari.
They said the new transport mode would no doubt help fix the transportation nightmare that has remained exclusively road based. The Blue line is expected to bring some succor to the nightmare many continued to experience on the road.
They however urged the state government to put adequate security in place and ensure the maintenance of the rolling stock remains top notch.
Mr Dapo Olabayo, a business executive living in Mile 2 is ecstatic about the prospects on his travel experience on the roads. He said the mode would no doubt leave a huge impact on the Mile 2 to Marina which have continue to be burdened by a huge shortage of government controlled public transportation system, making the private concerns fleece commuters.
He also addressed the fact that the commissioning would put a closure to the project which a generation of Nigerians have come to see and ‘never ending project’ as it had been in the pipeline since 2006.
“The Blue line rail has been long in coming and the expectation of residents are high that it would make the difference, irrespective of the fat that it is just the first phase.
He said it is the boldest step of the government in addressing the travel pattern especially between Badagry and Marina, adding that it would address the perception of neglect of that axis of the state by successive administrations in the state.
“Though, it has not extended to Badagry, these centres are where there are heavy human traffic. I believe with this coming on board now, it will seriously address the problem attached to movement of people and goods along this axis,” he said.
Michael Nwachukwu, however, suggested that there should be adequate maintenance and management of the infrastructure.
“All the guiding principles, in terms of management and maintenance, should be put in place. The commuters should also be adequately informed of the train schedules in order to enable them plan their journeys within the state,” he said.
He said the project, when inaugurated, would reduce the traffic and road traffic robberies.
“The project with a park and ride option would ensure that many of people will no longer take their cars out; they will park them at train stations and take the train to the Island,” he said.
He hoped that there would be security network like Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) to monitor happening within the train station at any given time.
He however asked the government to address the fare regime and create more awareness about the train services. He said the people would ensure ownership of the project.
Mr Alfred Johnson, who lives in Iganmu said the train stations should be should be improved.
“We are already experiencing some criminal activities around Iganmu and the National Theatre premises, there has been increased burglary around Iganmu as a result of increased movement at the theatre.
Another Lagos resident, Vincent Enimola, said the project which would boost the state’s IGR is a welcome development.
The Blue Line is a 27-kilometre rail system from Marina to Okokomaiko.
Its construction was divided into phases for ease of implementation.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on December 21, 2022, commemorated the completion of civil infrastructure for the first phase of the project at the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu.
The first phase is a 13-kilometer stretch from Marina to Mile 2, covering five stations and will be powered by electricity from an Independent Power Plant.
The project which is supervised by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) is being constructed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).