Inside Railway
By Fidelis Ugbomeh
As part of Federal Government’s palliative measures to cushion effect of petroleum subsidy removal to barest minimum on citizenry the. Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) intends to Introduce mass transit express passenger train service from Apapa to Kajola.
However passengers welcomed the development but opined that the cost of transit should be reduced while the stop over stations should increased in order to cushion effect of fuel subsidy removal.
According to a statement signed by deputy director public relations of the corporation Yakub Mahmood on behalf of director operations Mr. Akin Osinowo the train service code-named “Apapa express” will soon start operation on the standard gauge railway Line
According to him the stop over stations for the Apapa express train include-Mobolaji Johnson, Agege, Agbado and finally Kajola.
He further said this train service will surely reduce the hardship experienced by commuters especially those plying Apapa to Kajola route.
Mr Akin Osinowo therefore, appeals to our valued passengers to ensure that they obtain tickets at the designated stations before boarding the train.
A regular passenger who resides at Kajola Mr. Eric Umezurike suggested that the railway management should tow the line of Lagos state government by reducing cost of transit from N700.00 to N350.00 if actually it intends to cushion effect of fuel subsidy removal
He stated further that fares should not be charged on basis of a flat rate but on basis of distance of transit of each passenger.
Mr Edwin Ejiofor welcomed the decision to introduce express train from Kajola to Apapa and back but that the stop over stations should be increased so as to reduce the stress of entering commercial buses to their various destination after disembarking from the train.
According to him, the stop overseas should include: Oshodi, Yaba and Ijora all of which are locations where majority passengers disembark from the trains.