Reassurance of the completion of the much-touted Lagos Redline Rail, came again on Sunday, as Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the state governor, said the project is now at its completion stage.
For the fourth time in one year, Sanwo-Olu undertook an inspection tour to the construction sites. The rail line is part of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) designed for a seamless movement of commuters on the waterway, rail and road.
The 37-kilometre red line rail infrastructure is projected for completion by the first quarter of 2023.
The transport infrastructure being developed by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) will have the capacity to transport over 500,000 passengers daily when it becomes operational in the first quarter of 2023.
The standard gauge rail will run from Agbado in Ogun State to Oyingbo in Lagos, in the first phase, while terminating at Iddo in the second phase. It has eight stations and it is expected to reduce travel time on the route by two hours compared to buses.
Sanwo-Olu, alongside members of the state cabinet, first stopped at the multi-level Agege terminal, where he inspected completion work on the facility.
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The Agege red line terminal shares the same yard with Babatunde Raji Fashola Station built by the Federal Government but stands about 300 metres apart.
Sanwo-Olu led his team to the Ikeja Station of the red line, where 80 percent of the civil work had been completed. The governor also checked the progress of the overpass being constructed on the Awolowo Way axis to ensure non-interference of vehicular movement on the rail passageway.
“The red line is a project conceived and started by our government, which will be delivered in the lifetime of this administration. We have given our commitment to ensure the project is completed by the end of this year as promised. This is our fourth inspection trip on this project within the year alone and each time we come, there is significant progress that the contractor achieves along the rail corridor.
“Along the rail corridor, there is massive regeneration that is taking place and we have paid an extensive amount in terms of compensation, far more than anyone else, for those affected by the construction activities. That is why we don’t have problems with members of the communities on this corridor.
He said the work on the bridge on Awolowo Way onto Agege Motor road and inward Mongoro Bus Stop remained on track and would be delivered by the end of October.
