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By Moses Akaigwe
Beginning today, Monday, October 16, 2023, the Lagos State Government will increase the train trips from 12 to 54 and ultimately, 74 trips before the end of November 2023 on the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line (Marina to Mile 2).
It is expected that by next Monday, the tracks would have been energized, thus allowing for the deployment of additional train sets for daily passenger operations,
Ahead of the increase in train trips, train services were scheduled to run on Saturday, October 14 (morning peak only) while there was no service on Saturday afternoon and the entire day on Sunday {yesterday} to allow the complete change over to electricity.
A statement by the Managing Director of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Engr. Mrs. Abimbola Akinajo said “we need to shut down train operations for passenger safety while the switch to electricity is on as well as ensure that the test is carried out in a safe manner.”
“The practice worldwide is to suspend passenger operations whenever a huge change such as the one we want to carry out over the weekend is to take place. The switch will allow us to introduce more trips and carry more passengers,” she said.
Passenger operation of the first phase of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line was launched by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on 4 September, 2023 and has to date moved over 80,000 passengers.
It is projected that passenger movement between Marina and Mile 2 in the coming months will surpass 150,000 passengers daily.
