The mass rail project will accelerate the smart city plan of Lagos as a mega city, writes Najite Oghoghome
The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu took the reins with deep appreciation of tough tasks ahead. He bequeathed a state almost derailing from the founders’ masterplan.
From day one, he had to battle with mounting heaps of refuse caused by the disruption of the waste management system by his predecessor. Gridlock turned commuting into a nightmare.
In addressing the myriad of inherited troubles amidst economic recession, the governor unleashed the winning plan, tagged: THEME, a well-researched thematic focus for his administration. The first on the list is: traffic management and transportation. Lagos cannot afford not to move as the economic nerve centre of the nation.
When people are stuck in gridlock, productivity drops, revenue dwindles with attendant socio-economic devastating effects including health. Artificial bottlenecks were dismantled through engineering remodelling of conflict junctions and roundabouts like the popular Allen roundabout in Ikeja. The statue of the late Afro-beat king, Fela that adorned Allen junction was moved for Lagosians to move with ease.
Recalcitrant motorists were whipped into line by traffic officers and other law enforcement agents. Road anarchists who plied one-way with impunity got their vehicles impounded and forfeited to the state when caught on the suicide mission. It was clear to everyone that the new sheriff in town cannot be messed with.
When the human causes of gridlock had been reasonably checked, to further ease vehicle movements on the road, the governor embarked on reconstruction of major highways in the state like Ikorodu Road, from Mile 12 stretching to Maryland. The failed portions on the critical Trunk A road substantially contributed to traffic snarl.
Meanwhile, Sanwo’s standard is not cosmetic. Julius Berger built in tandem with Sanwo’s taste on solid, iron-reinforced concrete that will withstand heavy-duty vehicles, trailers, lorries that ply the routes. In the past, asphalt and interlock blocks often collapsed under the weight of massive trucks.
In fulfilment of his promise to decongest the road infrastructure through intermodal transportation system, the water transportation got an unprecedented boost with the injection of eight locally-made boats under the supervision of The Lagos State Ferry Service (LAGFERRY).
Governor Sanwo-Olu said during the launch of the boats that,
“Today, history is being made as the efforts of our administration towards delivering on our promise to provide an effective and integrated intermodal transportation system is being fulfilled.
”With capacity of each of the new boats to ferry 40 to 60 passengers at a go, the ferry boats we are launching today will commute passengers from Ikorodu, Ebute Ero, CMS, Badore and Ikoyi, amongst other routes.
”We are set to take advantage of the water bodies to decongest our roads and substantially reduce travel time, promote a healthy environment through reduction of carbon emission,” Sanwo-Olu said, adding: “’Intermodal transportation is the way to go, given our natural endowment, increasing population and the need to ensure efficient movement of materials, goods, services and people. By the time the Lagos light rail project becomes effective and expanded, coupled with renewed efforts to improve water transportation in addition to numerous on-going roads development projects across the state, it is expected that a more robust public transportation would evolve in the state and Lagosians would be the better for it.’’.
The governor of Lagos took a bold, ambitious step to embark on the construction of 37-Km Rail Mass Transit Red Line which was halted by the Federal Military government in 1984 under the leadership of Late Lateef Jakande.
It is a long rail that will connect the suburb of Agbado in Alimosho Local Government Area to Marina, the Center of Lagos. Commuting nightmares of residents in the areas will be addressed as Sanwo-Olu’s red line train plans to move over one million people daily.
Concerned about the plight of those whose properties will give way for the rail system, Sanwo-Olu presented cheques to house owners whose buildings were affected.
The construction is scheduled into three-phases. The first phase (Agbado-Iddo), which will be completed in 24 months, will be sharing track with the federal government’s Lagos-Ibadan Railway Modernisation Project up to Ebute – Metta. It will have its dedicated track from Ebute – Metta to Oyingbo and reduce travel time from about two and a half hours to just 35 minutes.
The Red Line will complement the Blue Line that traverses from Okokomaiko to Marina. The Blue Line is at 78 per cent completion.
Sanwo-Olu’s mass rail project will accelerate the smart city plan of Lagos as a mega city. Efficient mass transit transportation is essential for a mega city. The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses schemes with dedicated lanes eased movements and vehicular pressure on the road, but daily massive influx of people from every part of the country into Lagos has overwhelmed the BRT buses.
Also, the mass movement of the middle class from the urban to the suburb of the city due to the housing cost and attendant expenses created a need for a more efficient mass transit transportation means to move them from home to work.
Sanwo-Olu will enact the western work experience in Lagos. In Europe and the United States many who live hundreds of miles away from work commute via trains.
He said: “Today’s flag-off of the construction of infrastructure for the standard gauge Red Line is another promise kept and it demonstrates, in practical terms, our commitment to achieve the objectives of traffic management and transportation pillar in our development agenda. This is because we recognise the role which an efficient transportation system plays in enhancing people’s quality of life and as a major driver of socio-economic development.
“The State’s Strategic Transport Master Plan, which encompasses a number of projects that are germane to achieving our vision for a Greater Lagos, is founded on imperatives that seek to increase transport choices for all users and make the transit system integrated, attractive, convenient, affordable and accessible.
“Since efficient transportation is the backbone of any economy, we are happy to be committing this investment in our transport infrastructure, so that our people can meet their daily targets and aspirations. This all-important transport project we are all gathered to witness today represents a major step in this direction.
“Another unique feature of the Red Line is that all the stations have elevated concourses with either at grade island or side platforms for easy boarding and alighting of passengers. The Red Line also integrates with our Bus Terminals at Oyingbo, Yaba, Oshodi, Ikeja and Iju, giving modal options to our people in their daily commute, either for business or leisure.”
The opportunities that the project will provide is unimaginable. Thousands of direct and indirect jobs are in the offing. Construction workers, suppliers of materials and food vendors will experience fortunes for the duration of the project.
Adjourning communities too will also benefit from the ancillary infrastructure embedded in the project. The value of properties in the suburb neighbouring the rail will also surge as infrastructure often raises the value of real estate.
This is a legacy project that will enlist Sanw-Olu in the roll of honour.
