By Charles Okogene
Five months after it’s commissioning by former President Muhammadu Buhari,the much publicised Blue Line rail project of the Lagos State government has gone into a ‘coma.’
This is because after the Lagos State government/ Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority (LAMATA), have organised several test running trips involving stakeholders from all sectors of the state, the rail line whose construction started in 2008 has failed to commence operation.
The question on the lips of the Lagos transport public is what is delaying the commencement of the rail services. Is it for unknown technical or economic reasons?
Since the former president BUHARI launched it on Monday, January 23, 2023, LAMATA, the agency charged with day to day supervision of work on the project that is been constructed by Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company, CECC, has refused to take off beyond the afore mentioned test run.
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First to have a ride on the novel train project was a set of journalists that included the last commissioner for transportation,Dr Sodeinde.
Then another set was invited before Lagos business community and stakeholders, took their turn on the testing ride.
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L-R Mr. Charles Okogene, newdawn reporter, Lara during the blue line test run
During the ride, an official of LAMATA assured that as soon as the testing ride is completed and the fare from CMS to Mile 2 are determined, the project will go into operation.
He also explained the distance from CMS to Mile 2, the travel time and the capacity of the train per day among others.
But six months after, the rail is yet to take off.
Rather, what went viral was a faulty coach/train that was been pushed by LASTMA officials on the rail .
Though, LAMATA promptly denied it, saying the video was recorded when the train was been mounted on the rail track.
What, however, surprised Lagosians is that traffic officers and not engineers were made to do the mouthing.
Even the Red line rail, which the Governor of Lagos State, Sanwo-Olu, assured will be ready before May 29, is yet to take off too but construction is on- going at it’s designated stations in Yaba, Ikeja,Agege,Iju, Agbado and other places.
An expert in transportation who this writer spoke to said it was all political, that the launch last January was for Sanwo-Olu/TInubu to make political gain out of it adding that that has been achieved.
He concluded that either the project is not ready yet or there are other logistics delaying its take off or that the government wants to launch it a second time.
And we cannot agree any less as Mr Kolawole Ojelabi, retired staff of LAMATA, who is still the media consultant has refused to reply our questions on the non-operation of the Blue Line three weeks after he confirmed receiving our message .
Below is our message to him over two weeks ago.
” Good morning..trust you are good. It’s now four months since d test running of the Blue Line,when are you going to start running full scale? With the removal of subsidy and attendant increase in transportation cost, is it not desirable to start running the Blue line now to reduce transport cost of the masses? . Contrary to the promise of Governor Babajide Sanwoolu,that the Red line will be ready before May 29,the reverse is the case ..why is this so and when is it going to be ready ?.
Are there any new rail or public transport project the government is planning to put in place to ease transportation in Lagos?”
The rail project had
started in the days of former governor Babatunde Raji Fashola but was stalled by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode who, though, was servicing the $150million dollar loan procured by his predecessor but due to reasons only he could explain,abandon it.
A similar rail project, in Rivers State, Monorail, which was started by Rotimi Amaechi in his days as governor has been abandoned even before he left office.
The fear now is that Lagos State may either be encountering some technical difficulties hampering the commencement of operation, which is not known to the public .
This is even as the government has continued the construction of the 32 kilometres Red Line project from Oyingbo to Agbado in Ogun state.
