Buhari Inaugurates Lagos Blue Rail, Grants Waiver to Clear Trains

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, completed his two-day working visit to Lagos State with the inauguration of the phase one of the Blue Line Rail of Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) initiative. 

The 13-kilometre line (phase one) runs from Marina to Mile 2, with five stations – Mile 2, Alaba, Iganmu, National Theatre and Marina.

Buhari also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the second phase which will run from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko.

The president also unveiled the J Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History at Onikan in Lagos

In the previous day, Buhari had commissioned the Lekki Deep Sea Port, the Lagos Rice Mill, Imota among others in a programme, tagged: “Festival of Commissioning” at a banquet organised by the state government in his honour and commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on the landmark projects.

He described the governor as a, “true ambassador of progressive politics.’’

The Blue Line rail route is one of the six metro lines identified in the LRMT master plan and contained in the Lagos State Strategic Transport Master Plan (STMP).

It would run from Marina to Okokomaiko. Others in the STMP are the Red Line (Agbado-Oyingbo/Marina); Green Line (Marina to Epe); Orange Line (Redeemed Camp-Marina); Purple line (Redeemed Camp-Ojo); Orange Line and Yellow Line (Sango-Ota-Iddo)

The Marina station, being the largest train hub in Africa, is 240 metres long, and equipped with two concourses of 12 turnstiles each with a processing capacity of 480 passengers per minute and over 24,000 per hour.

Travel time on the Marina-Mile 2 route is about 15 minutes. It will be powered by high voltage electricity (750VA).

Governor Sanwo-Olu applauded the role played by President Buhari in the actualisation of the first phase of the rail project.

He disclosed that the president granted the state waivers on customs duties to import infrastructure equipment and trains for the project.

“The completion of the Blue Line here, the first rail system by a sub-national in Africa, is a Sea-crossing. It’s a testament that, indeed, the dark days of oppression are behind us as a government and what we will be commissioning here today (Tuesday) is the first phase.’’

According to Sanwo-Olu, the rail infrastructure is expected to cover less than 15 minutes as compared to a journey time that hitherto would take about an hour and a half to two hours.

He disclosed it has the benefits to reduce travel time, improve the quality of lives of citizens “and will make Lagos one of the most resilient cities not only in Africa, but to compete with other mega cities in the world.”

Sanwo-Olu, who emphasised that the Blue Line is to be powered end to end by high voltage electricity, supplied by delegated independent power with a back-up system, said the train has the capacity to transport per hour, an average of 25,000 passengers.

He disclosed that the Red Line which is larger in extension would be commissioned before the end of the Buhari’s administration.

Also, Lagos Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, described the project as the “most audacious rail project to be funded by a sub-national government” in Nigeria, saying it is not surprising that the landmark Blue Rail would reduce pressure on road and put the state on the pedestal of other cities around the world.