By Adedapo Adesanya
The Lagos State Government has assured residents that the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT), also known as the Red Line Project, will soon be completed.
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in a statement issued by his Chief Press Officer (CPS), Mr. Gboyega Akosile, said that the transport infrastructure being developed by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) will have the capacity to carry over 500,000 passengers per day when it becomes operational in the first quarter of next year.
The Lagos Red Line rail will cross on standard gauge from Agbado to Oyingbo, in the first phase, while terminating at Iddo in the second phase. It has eight stations and is expected to reduce travel by more than two hours.
Mr. Sanwo-Olu, accompanied during the tour of the project by the Deputy Governor, Mr. Obafemi Hamzat, and cabinet members, first stopped at Agege’s multi-level terminal, where he inspected installation completion work.
The Agege Red Line terminal shares the same yard with the federally built Babatunde Raji Fashola station but is approximately 300 meters apart.
The governor also inspected staff quarters built by the Lagos government for railway workers employed by the federal government.
Mr Sanwo-Olu later led the team to the iconic Red Line Ikeja station, where 80% of the civil works had been completed, where he checked on the progress of the viaduct being built. on the Awolowo Way axis to ensure non-interference of vehicle traffic on the railway crossing.
The Governor stopped at Mushin Terminal, to inspect the station and the overpass, which stretches between Kayode and Ogunmokun streets, under development, before proceeding to Yaba and Oyingbo stations.
After the exercise which lasted four hours, Mr. Sanwo-Olu said he was satisfied with the quality of the work, revealing that most of the difficult tasks had been completed.
The entire construction, the governor said, has entered the finishing phase during which precast beams and other concrete fixtures are coupled to the constructed structures.
He said: “The red line is a project conceived and initiated by our government, which will be carried out during the lifetime of this administration. We are committed to ensuring that the project is completed by the end of this year, as promised. This is our fourth inspection trip on this project in the year alone and each time we come there is significant progress the contractor is making along the rail corridor.
“Along the rail corridor, massive regeneration is taking place and we have paid a significant sum in terms of compensation, far more than anyone else, for those affected by construction activities. That is why we do not have any problems with the members of the communities in this corridor. After inspecting Agege station, we went to check out Ikeja terminal, which happens to be the iconic red line station. Its size is almost the size of three football fields together.
“As we have seen, all stations inspected are at roof level, nearing completion. The civil works are finished, it’s just the finishing work we are doing at the moment. All activities are on schedule and we hope that the best complete project will be completed by the end of the year. Some locations were particularly difficult for the contractor to drill due to the high density of vehicles. All challenges have been overcome; what remains is in situ concrete and the placement of precast beams.
Mr Sanwo-Olu said construction work on the viaducts was at various stages of completion, but assured that all work would be completed by December.
He said work on the bridge over Awolowo Way on Agege Motor Road and the inner Mongoro bus stand remained on track and would be completed by the end of October.
Mr Sanwo-Olu said the Mushin overpass, which crosses Kayode Street at Ikorodu Road to Agege Motor Road in Mushin, and the one at Yaba from Tejuosho exiting at Murtala Muhammed Road would be completed by November.
To eliminate human interference with the rail corridor, the Governor has declared that the rail passage will be isolated from residential areas. This, he said, would also prevent encroachment and unauthorized business activities around the corridor.