By Fidelis Ugbomeh
Management of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, (LAMATA) recently revealed alignment for the 70-kilometre Green Line, featuring 17 stations.
But some close watchers of events opined that practical steps and not cosmetic unveiling should be taken to commence work on the project.
According to the plan, the project is expected to enhance urban connectivity and ease transport pressure across Lagos, especially along the Lekki-Epe corridor.
It shows that the line begins at marina station, running eastward on an elevated track along Ring Road crossing the Five Cowries and Falomo bridges before joining the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
After the Lekki toll gate, the alignment transitions to a central at grade track with stations at Lekki phase 1, Freedom way, Jakande market, and Chevron.
The design also shows that, it returns to an at-grade alignment beyond Ajah and shifts to the roadside at Abraham Adesanya from where it moves through Ogombo, Sangotedo, Green Springs–Lekki Campus, Lakowe, Onosa, Eleko, Ibeju, Okegun, Lekki Airport, and ends at Lekki Free Trade Zone.S
The system is expected to carry 35,000 passengers per hour in each direction and the entire project is estimated to cost $3 billion.
However, Dr. Kayode Farinto, a freight forwarder pointed out that importers and agents are already shying away from the Lekki deep seaport due to lack of rail connectivity and constraints of exiting the port by road.
“Although construction of a railway line linking Lekki from Marina is expensive going by the design and estimated cost of $3billion, it will be beneficial in the long run as turn around time of vessels will be reduced and more vessels will be attracted to the seaport,” he declared.