New Lagos-Ibadan railway for inauguration, full operation next month – Amaechi – Newstrends
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New Lagos-Ibadan railway for inauguration, full operation next month – Amaechi

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4 years ago

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Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said the new Lagos-Ibadan rail line will be fully ready for formal inauguration and commence full operation in June (next month).
Already, he said about 90 per cent of the project being handled by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation was ready, adding that the remaining work should be completed in two-three weeks.
Amaechi, who spoke in Ibadan, Oyo State on Saturday after a train ride from Lagos on an inspection of the line, also ordered the arrest of buyers of vandalised rail track facilities and other equipment.
He said he would need to obtain the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari to give the actual date of the inauguration of the line currently on skeletal service/trial run.
He said, “I hope the Office of the President will approve the commissioning of this project in June. We will communicate the actual date in the next one or two weeks but certainly, I think it is in June.
“We are not 100 percent ready for commissioning but if for nothing, we are 89 to 90 percent ready for commissioning and we are hoping that by the next three weeks we will be ready and by then, they will give us a date fron the office of the president. One thing is that by the time they give us a date, we will be ready for commissioning.”
The minister also said the e-ticketing platform would be deployed to Lagos-Ibadan rail in order to manage the envisaged passenger traffic.
“I have directed the MD of NRC to advertise for the e-ticketing and we hope the traffic that we will witness on this axis will be managed with that platform,” he said.
On how the project would be maintained after completion, Amaechi said, “There is maintenance plan between us and the CCECC within the next three to five years. And by then, I would have left government but for me and within the period I am serving as minister, there is an agreement between us and the CCECC for the purpose of maintenance.”
The minister, while commenting on the stealing and vandalization of rail track, not only the vandals or thieves should be arrested and prosecuted but also buyers of such stolen rail materials.
According to him, cases of vandalisation exists because there are those who have indicated interest in the vandalised facilities.
He also said the rate of vandalisation would reduce if the judiciary system could dispense justice without delay, adding that state government must create more jobs.
He said, “I don’t know why some Nigerians are like the way they are. I have told the Managing Director of NRC to arrest the buyers of the equipment. It is not enough to arrest the vandals.
“It is likened to those who said why should the National Assembly punish those who pay ransom, that law was first passed by the Rivers State House of Assembly when I was a speaker and the reason is, that, when there is no demand, there will be no supply.
“If we don’t pay ransom, they will be tired and they will stop. The same way, if they don’t buy those metals, slippers and others, nobody will steal them.
“Also, we must approach the Judiciary to have court that can dispense justice readily so that people are sent to jail early enough to deter others and we will also encourage our governors to create jobs.”
The minister said some of the people vandalising the facilities had been arrested.

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Lagos Rail Mass Transit part of FG free train ride – NRC

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1 day ago

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December 21, 2024

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Lagos Rail Mass Transit part of FG free train ride – NRC

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has disclosed that the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) trains are included in the Federal Government’s free train ride initiative for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

The LRMT, which currently includes the Phase 1 Blue Line Rail and the Phase 1 of the Red Line Rail, operates under the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).

This announcement was made by Ben Iloanusi, the Acting Managing Director of the NRC, during an interview on NTA News TV on Friday, following the launch of the initiative earlier that day.

While Iloanusi stated that Phase 1 of both the Blue Line and Red Line Rail projects are part of the program, LAMATA has yet to confirm this inclusion.

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Iloanusi outlined the other routes benefiting from the scheme, which include the Lagos-Ibadan Train Service, Kaduna-Abuja Train Service, Warri-Itakpe Train Service, Port Harcourt-Aba Train Service, and the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Mass Transit in Lagos. Notably, little was previously known about the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Mass Transit service until this disclosure.

“Let me mention the routes where this free train service is happening. We have the Lagos-Ibadan Train Service, we have the Kaduna-Abuja Train Service, we have the Warri-Itakpe Train Service, we have the Lagos Rail Mass Transit trains, we have the Port Harcourt-Aba Train Service, and we have what we call the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Mass Transit, which is also in Lagos,” he stated.

Iloanusi provided operational updates, stating that passengers nationwide can access free tickets online or, for those unable to do so, at train stations where they will be profiled and validated.

He noted that passengers using NRC-managed services (excluding the Lagos Rail Mass Transit) should reserve tickets via the official website, www.nrc.gov.ng, with a valid ID required. He also advised travelers to plan, arrive on time, and bring valid identification.

Lagos Rail Mass Transit part of FG free train ride – NRC

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NRC announces special Xmas, end-of-year train service

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3 weeks ago

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December 5, 2024

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NRC announces special Xmas, end-of-year train service

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) says it will operate an end of the year special train service on all its routes across the country.
It announced this in a statement on Wednesday by its Deputy Director, Public Relations, Yakub Mahmood, saying it was in compliance with the Federal Government’s directive through the Federal Ministry of Transportation.
It however did not indicate if the special train service would be free or not.
The Federal Government last year similarly declared special train services for Christmas and New Year, which were made free for all users.
The statement added the modality for this year’s special service would be released soon.
The latest statement read, “The management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), in compliance with the Federal Government’s directive through the Federal Ministry of Transportation, hereby informs the general public that the NRC shall operate end of the year special train services in commemoration of Christmas and New Year celebrations.
“This end-of-the-year special train service on scheduled passenger trains, is part of the government’s gesture towards an enjoyable end of the year celebration.
“Dates and modalities of the end-of-the-year Special Train Service shall be communicated in due course. We wish all our esteemed customers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in advance.”

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FG hands over $3bn Port Harcourt-Aba railway project to NRC

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3 weeks ago

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November 29, 2024

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FG hands over $3bn Port Harcourt-Aba railway project to NRC

The 62-kilometre, $3.02 billion Port Harcourt-Aba railway project has been completed by Federal Government and handed over to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).

The Port Harcourt-Aba section is part of the larger Port Harcourt-Maiduguri eastern narrow gauge railway project, initiated under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The project supervisor, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Ayo Dada, formally transferred the railway to the NRC during a brief ceremony held on Thursday in Port Harcourt.

He said that the project, completed in May, had significantly improved passenger movement between Rivers and Abia, thereby enhancing their economies.

“The assets handed over include dismantled tracks measuring 283.060 km, rehabilitated and reconstructed 62.800 km of subgrade and the laying of 62.800 km of rail for the main line,” Dada said.

“This includes the laying of rail for sliding lines covering 5.690 km and the reconstruction of 27 sets of turnouts at Port Harcourt, Elelenwo, Obuzor, Umugo and Aba Stations, among others.”

Dada said that with the handover of the Port Harcourt–Aba section, the Federal Government would focus on the Port Harcourt–Maiduguri phase of the project.

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“The contractor has submitted the technical specifications and maintenance manual for the Port Harcourt–Aba section to the consultants.

“The ministry is committed to completing this project, which will foster national development,” he said.

The Managing Director of the NRC, Ben Iloanusi, commended the Federal Government and the ministry of transportation for the timely completion and transfer of the project.

Iloanusi, represented by the NRC Deputy Manager (Civil), Adesegun Ogunade, said that the railway had greatly benefited Nigerians seeking affordable transportation options.

“The rail line, now in operation, has started mitigating the impact of high transportation costs caused by economic challenges,” he said.

“Train services have been running for some time and passengers have reported that it has made commuting between Port Harcourt and Aba more convenient, faster and cheaper.

“People are already experiencing the benefits of this government’s policies and programmes.’’

He assured that the Port Harcourt–Maiduguri section would also be completed in due course, emphasising that adequate security arrangements had been made to ensure the safety of workers and passengers.

 

FG hands over $3bn Port Harcourt-Aba railway project to NRC

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