By Demilade Adeniyi
Four vehicular overpasses will be constructed by the Lagos State Government as part of the design to ensure that the Lagos Rail Mass Transit – Red Line rail project would operate with less interaction with vehicular traffic.
The Managing Director, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Engr. Mrs. Abimbola Akinajo who disclosed this at a consultative meeting with Mushin community and youth leaders at Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area (LCDA) headquarters, at Ilupeju, said three new pedestrian bridges will also be built to hedge pedestrians against exposure to the danger of crossing the rail line.
The new red rail line would move from Oyingbo to Agbado, a border town with Ogun State.
Mrs. Akinajo who was represented at the town hall meeting by the Director of Rail Transport, Engr. Olasunkanmi Okusaga, said the “overpasses would be built at Oyingbo, Yaba, Mushin and Ikeja where existing level crosses would be closed. “These overpasses will also cater to pedestrian traffic while we will construct pedestrian bridges across the rail in three other locations.”
He explained that the state government had been striving hard to have a rail line over the last three decades.
“This is the best opportunity for us to have one, and Lagos with a population of over 21 million cannot rely on only one mode of transportation. We need a transport system that will move the people en-masse. We project that the first phase of the Red Line will move about 750,000 passengers daily. That will have significant effect in reducing congestion on our roads.”
He described the project as one that all Lagosians and Nigerians would be proud of and therefore sought the cooperation of the people for a timely and successful completion of the rail project.
“It is a project all Lagosians would be proud of because in the long run, it would change their travel experience as well as grant them easy access to transport services, job centres and social facilities,” he stated.
She added:” This project is expected to be completed in 24 months. We therefore call on everyone to own it, support it and take responsibility for its quick completion. When it is completed, you will experience mobility in a way never imagined.”
Engr. Babatunde Osho, an Environmental and Safety Management consultant informed that enumerators would soon be going round the affected communities to carry out enumeration of affected persons.
Osho, who is the Managing Director of Global Impact Environmental Consulting, explained that both house owners and tenants would be compensated in accordance with the global best practices.
He urged stakeholders to cooperate with the Lagos State Government in ensuring the quick completion of the project.
The Chairman of Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye LCDA, Hon. Rasaq Olusola Ajala, represented by the Secretary to the LCDA, Mr. Mujeeb Daramola, pledged the support of the council to the rail project, assuring that the council would ensure the buy-in of all stakeholders.