FG begins construction of 11 flyovers at Lagos level crossings

The Federal Government has commenced the construction of flyovers at the 11 level crossings in Lagos State to avoid train/vehicle collision.

Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation , Mr Fidet Okhiria, disclosed this in an interview.

He said they had started the separation of the road from the rail in Oyingbo and Ebute-Meta.

This is coming about a week after the Shogunle level crossing accident in Lagos, leading to the death of six people and 79 others seriously injured.

Driver of the Lagos State Government Staff bus was said to have ignored the warning of an NRC flag officer at the Shogunle level crossing and attempted to cross to the other side when the train crashed into his bus, dragging the vehicle for about 100 metres before stopping.

Okhiria said the corporation had already constructed an underground pass and an overhead pass at the Agege level crossing, adding, “We are going to have 11 flyovers within Lagos. But cannot do all at the same time. We are constructing them in batches.

“Before now, we constructed barriers and they were vandalised. We even constructed automatic barriers which were also vandalised.

“Although we have been repairing them, especially the automatic barriers, they do not last for a week after such repairs. It is either they hit the barriers with vehicles or people vandalise them overnight.”

He revealed that the NRC management had planned to get gatemen to stop vehicles and avoid accidents while passing through the level crossings, assuring that it would deploy men and technology to alert road users whenever trains approached the level crossings.

Okhiria noted that all over the world people obeyed simple traffic regulations, but that in Nigeria motorists usually violate traffic signs.

He therefore urged motorists to be more careful while passing through level crossings, reminding them that life had no duplicate.