History was made on Wednesday as Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo – Olu inaugurated the completion of the first phase of Lagos Rail Mass Transit ( LMMR) Blue Line from Marina to Mile 2 at the Iconic National Theatre Blue Line Station. After the inauguration at exactly 1:31p.m. Governor, Babajide Sanwo – Olu formally stepped into the Coach of the newly completed Lagos Blue Line and took the first trip aboard the electric – powered rail infrastructure. The Governor in the company of his Deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, Speaker Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, members of the State Cabinet, Journalists, and members of the public took a ride from the National Theatre to the Iconic Station in Marina. The trip took approximately 10 minutes. The first passengers trip marked the completion of civil infrastructure work on the Lagos Mass Transit ( LMMR) Being Constructed by Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority ( LAMATA ) The completed tracks spanning 13 Kilometres in the first phase, extended from Mile 2 to Marina covered five stations. The Construction work started in 2010 under the administration of Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, experienced some delays in the succeeding administration, before Government continued in 2019. Sanwo – Olu who could not hide his joy about the development, declared the end of construction on the Blue Rail Line Project, keeping to the December 2022 deadline. After commissioned, Sanwo – Olu said passengers operations would not commence until the project undergoes necessary test – running and security measures are put in place along the rail corridor. The rail infrastructure, he said is now ready for commission in January 2023 by President Muhammad Buhari, who has also gracious agreed to be physically presence on that day. The Governor disclosed that the State had already taken the delivery of three sets of wagons that will be used for passengers Operations – The completed first phase rail project has the capacity to move 250,000 passengers daily and that if the second phase of is completed, the entire project would take 500,000 daily. Sanwo – Olu stated that his administration’s vision for an integrated transport system, as enuciated in the THEME Agenda is beginning to be a reality, and stressed that the transportation plan of his Government was a multi – modal approach that will bring road, rail, and waterways together for a seamless mobility. Governor, Sanwo – Olu further said that the Tinubu administration developed The Strategic Transport Master Plan ( STMP ) which laid out the foundation for a robust and modern transport infrastructure befitting 21st Century City. The master plan has six rail lines and one monorail, 14 Bus Rapid Transit ( BRT ) corridors, over 20 water routes and number of major new roads which is central to the implementation of the transport master plan in LAMATA established in 2002. Governor Sanwo – Olu acknowledged the effort of his predecessor, ex – Governor Fashola towards bringing the vision to life.
HISTORY AS SANWO – OLU COMPLETES INFRASTRUCTURE WORK OF LAGOS BLUE RAIL LINE PROJECT.
