Relief as Sanwo-Olu flags off Lagos Blue Rail Line

Relief as Sanwo-Olu flags off Lagos Blue Rail Line

Lagos on Monday rolled out its blue rail line for commercial operation with the state governor Bababjide Sanwo-Olu riding on the train from CMS terminal to Mile2.
The governor, who flagged the operation, boarded the train at 9.10am at the Mile 2 station along with his deputy, permanent secretaries, and other political leaders.

Addressing the guests and passengers before boarding the train, the governor urged them to be orderly.

A full journey from Marina to Mile 2 will cost N750 while zonal fares have been put between N400 and N500 (for people not making the complete full trip).

The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) said last Friday commercial operations would start this week from 6:30am to 10am (morning peak) and from 4pm to 9:30pm for the afternoon peak.
It also said these operations would start with 12 trips for two weeks and ramped up to 76 trips per day.

As part of safety measures, there will be over 300 CCTV cameras across the whole Blue Rail Line

Over 30 cameras are expected to be monitoring the tracks with command and control centres at all stations.

Some plain-clothed security agents and officers of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps will also ride with passengers at all times.

The blue line rail project is being constructed by the Lagos State Government and supervised by LAMATA as part of the state’s development and improved intermodal transport system.
A Chinese firm, China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), is handling the project.
The light train is expected to bring relief to Lagos residents as part of the palliatives to cushion the removal of fuel subsidy effects of on the people.

The removal led to high increase not only in fuel price but also other goods and services.
The rail project started during the administration of Babatunde Fashola over 12 years ago.
But the first phase – 13km (Marina to Mile 2) on the Lagos-Badagry corridor is being completed by the Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.