By Fidelis Ugbomeh
Ahead of plans to commission the red line railway project by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Lagos state government through Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority, LAMATA, recently took delivery of some coaches that will be deployed for operation along Oyingbo- Agbado standard gauge railway corridor.
•Eligbue
The red line project which formed part of the master plan designed by the President when he was governor of Lagos state for 8 years from 1999 to 2007 was started and completed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu within 3 years.
Already commuters resident along the Agbado to Oyingbo railway corridor and environs have started to brace up in anticipation of the commencement of operation this month.
Speaking on the arrival of the coaches, managing director of Nigerian Railway Corporation Engr. Fidet Okhiria said that the coaches recently imported into the country belong to LAMATA for the red line project.
According to him, the corporation has been giving support to Lagos state government to enable it start operation of commercial passenger train service (red line) from Oyingbo to Agbado in Ogun state.
He explained that the corporation is only assisting the state to ensure the red line commences operation by allowing LAMATA to use our corridor to keep the newly imported coaches.
According to him “we are doing everything to support Lagos state government to start operation of the red line
“The imported coaches covered with tarpaulin were taken to railway workshop at Kajola for safety as part of effort to support the state government”.
Corroborating, Lagos district manager of NRC Engr. Augustine Arase said “we only assisted Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority, LAMATA to use our corridor”.
Regarding plan by LAMATA to start operation of the red line, he explained that the Authority will not in any way compete with NRC when it commences operation as the former is expected to shuttle from Oyingbo to Agbado and back on standard gauge railway line depending on schedule while the latter operates twice daily at a flat rate of N700.00 from Iddo to Kajola/Ijoko and back.
However, some commuters in reaction to the plan to commence operation of red line expressed delight that after several years of designing a master plan for rail transportation, the Sanwo-Olu administration has finally made the project a reality.
In his perspective, Mr. Eric Umezurike, managing director, First Rit Nigeria Limited described plan to start operation of the long awaited red line from Oyingbo to Agbado and back as a welcome development that will go a long way to cushion effect of high cost of road transport.
He however advised the state government to streamline ticket rate based on destination of passengers from one point to another between Oyingbo and Agbado and back instead of charging a flat rate as presently obtains with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).
Mr. John Obot commended the state government for completing the project within 3years adding that many commuters will prefer to drop their vehicles at home in preference to board the train.
He also advised the state government to operate during the weekends as the NRC narrow gauge mass transit does not operate on Saturdays and Sundays.