Breaking: Long-awaited Lagos Blue Rail Line begins operations today as Sanwo-Olu flags off taking first ride from Marina to Mile 2
The Lagos Blue Line Rail has begun commercial operations with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and some select individuals taking the first ride at about 09:45 a.m. on Monday from Marina to Mile 2.
Sanwo-Olu who explained to his co-passengers the requirements to board the train before boarding himself, asked Lagosians to take ownership of the rail tracks even as his government has put measures to protect the facility.
“Take ownership and treat it with decency as you would treat anything that belongs to you. Any altercation or disturbance on the train will NOT be tolerated. It goes without saying that vandalism also will NOT be tolerated.”
The first phase of the rail line extends from Marina to Mile 2 with five stations located in Marina, National Theatre, Iganmu, Alaba, and Orile.
According to Mrs. Abimbola Akinajo, the Managing Director of the Lagos State Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, partial passenger operations will begin on Tuesday, September 5, from 6:30 am to 10 am for morning peak and from 4 pm to 9:30 pm for afternoon rushing moment.
She also disclosed that for the first month, the train would begin with 12 trips over the course of two weeks and then climb to 76 trips every day but with the locomotive system.
However, LAMATA according to her will begin the electric-powered train operation with 76 trips. An estimated passenger capacity between 150,000 and 175,000 are expected to take rides from 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
While the train will only stop for 90 seconds at each station, the LAMATA boss noted the state government’s transport palliative would also reflect on the tickets of the train services.
The project was conceived in 1983 by the Lateef Jakande administration. It was then flagged off in 2023 by the government of Bola Tinubu while he was the governor of the South-West state.
However, it was not until earlier this year that immediate past President Bola Tinubu inaugurated the project in Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, Lagos.
Already, the Lagos State Government has warned residents against crossing the rail track.
“Dear Lagosians, please be reminded as we kick off the commercial operations of the Lagos Blue Line Rail transport on Monday, that the rail line is electrified. Don’t cross the rail lines because it is dangerous. Use the overhead bridges that have been provided by the government. Thank you,” the Chief Press Secretary to Sanwo-Olu, Gboyega Akosile, wrote on Twitter, now known as X.
The governor asked residents of the state to take ownership of the project, saying the Lagos State Government has put measures in place to secure the facilities around the rail tracks.
“There are over 300 CCTV cameras across the entire rail with over 30 cameras monitoring the tracks alone, with command and control centers available in all stations along the track. Lagos, this is your project,” he tweeted.
Governor Sanwo-Olu was accompanied by his wife Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; deputy Obafemi Hamzat; Secretary to the State Government Mrs. Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, former Deputy Governor Femi Pedro; an ex-Speaker of the House of Assembly Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro among other government officials.
