By Fidelis Ugbomeh
It was a tragic scenerio at the temporary railway level crossing, Agbado in Ogun State when a rail car conveying workers on the standard gauge railway track recently crushed a woman hawking “Koko” (pap).
It was gathered that the victim had impaired hearing hence could neither hear the sound of the oncoming rail car nor heed to shout of the flagman before the accident happened at about 10:00 a.m penultimate Monday morning.
According to eyewitness account, the family of the deceased hurriedly took the corpse away for burial knowing fully well that the railway had the “right of way”.
In other words, any one who encroached on a railway line is liable to either pay a fine or repair damaged railway coaches and locos in the event of an accident.
Recall that since Lagos State government, through Lagos Area Metropolitan Transport Authority (LAMATA) commenced commercial operation last month, traffic along the Oyingbo-Agbado railway corridor increased to four trains daily (Monday-Friday) from Oyingbo to Agbado in Ogun State after a one-month free test run in order to seek advice, identify lapses and provide solutions before commencement of full operations.
This is in addition to existing four return trains operated daily on the narrow gauge railway line and two daily from Ijoko/Kajola and to Apapa operated on standard gauge respectively by management of Nigerian Railway Corporation along the same corridor.
There are other trains like rail cars conveying diesel and workers to site as well as goods trains also operating on the narrow and standard gauge railway corridors between Lagos and Ibadan.
Hawking/trekking
The death of a woman hawking “Koko” at Agbado has continued to attract mixed reactions even as some traders and commuters, especially in lagos and Ogun, have since the removal of subsidy on petroleum products resorted to hawking and trekking along the railway lines/roads in order to make sales and save cost.
Mr. Eric Umezurike, a resident of Agbado-Crossing, advised the management of Nigerian Railway Corporation and Lagos State government to cooperate and work out modalities for construction of a pedestrian bridge at Agbado Junction to complement the one at Agbado-Crossing.
He noted that the tragic accident, which led to death of the woman selling “Koko” at Agbado last Monday could have been averted if the tracks had been properly barricaded.
Umezurike also advised government and the management of Nigerian Railway Corporation to enforce compulsory use of pedestrian bridges already put in place at strategic locations, especially at Agbado-Crossing and environs.
Managing director, Forte Iconic, Engr. Adeleke, said, “Since the announcement of fuel subsidy removal I have changed plans in terms of logistics
“Every day from Monday to Friday, I trek from Rafco near Agbado to Fagba from where I enter a commercial bus to Agege
“From Agege I trek to Ikeja before taking another vehicle to Oshodi and Mushin where I work”.
Adeleke explained further walking on the concrete slabs and metals used to hold tracks to the ground along the railway lines made trips to work look effortless compared to walking along the roads
A hawker of Orange, Iya Ibeju said that “I prefer to hawk along the railway line and roads due to human and vehicular traffic respectively”
“I record better sales whenever I hawk along the railway lines because of the increasing number of people walking along the railway corridor on a daily basis, “ she declared.
Recall that Lagos State government through Lagos Area Metropolitan Transport Authority, LAMATA had last month commenced operations of four trains daily (Monday-Friday) from Oyingbo to Agbado in Ogun State after a one-month free test run in order to seek advice, identify lapses and provide solutions before commencement of full operations.
This is in addition to already existing four return trains operated daily on the narrow gauge railway line and two daily from Ijoko/Kajola and to Apapa operated on standard gauge respectively by management of Nigerian Railway Corporation along the same corridor.
There are other trains like rail cars conveying diesel and workers to site as well as goods trains also operating on the narrow and standard gauge railway corridor between Lagos and Ibadan.