By Monsuru Olowoopejo
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has justified the continued delay of rail lines in the state, stressing that the projects were been implemented in strict adherence to the State’s Strategic Transport Master Plan.
Sanwo-Olu added that the rail line projects are capital intensive and required adequate planning to fit into the 21st-century economy which is central to the vision of the state.
The governor, who justified the continued delay in the project on Tuesday at the ceremony marking the completion of the beam for Blueline rail project-Sea Crossing Bridge held in Lagos Island, noted that his administration is committed to completing the project and ensure it commences passenger operation.
According to him, the rail lines are being implemented in strict adherence to the State’s Strategic Transport Master Plan; which among other transport projects prescribes six rail lines and one monorail for the long-term strategic goals of the State.
“Apart from the Blue Line, we are working very hard to commence the Red Line from Agbado to Marina. We recently advertised four other rail lines for investors to show interest under the design, build, operate, maintain and transfer model of Public-Private-Partnership arrangement. The rail lines are the:
“68 kilometres – Green Line from Marina through Victoria Island, Lekki Phases 1 and 2, Ajah, Ogombo, Lekki Airport to Lekki Free Trade Zone; 60 kilometres – Purple Line from the Redemption Camp going through Ogba, Iyana Ipaja, Igando and terminating at Ojo;
“34 kilometres – Yellow Line from Otta through Isheri Osun, Ejigbo Mafoluku, Isolo to national Theatre and 48 kilometres – Orange Line from Ikeja coursing through Mile 12, Ikorodu, Alapadi, Eligana, Isiwu, Imota and terminating at Agbowa”.
“The completion of these projects are top priority for our administration, as it is critical to the achievement of our prioritized pillar of traffic management and transportation in our project THEMES development agenda, which is basically to reduce the travel time through an effective and efficient intermodal transport system”.
