The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has announced that the state has taken delivery of 2 new train sets for its Blue Rail Line project.
This is coming barely 2 weeks after the governor celebrated the milestone occasion of the completion of the first phase of the electricity-powered Lagos Rail Mass Transit Blue Line in the state.
This was made known on Monday by Governor Sanwo-Olu through a tweet post on his official Twitter account, where he also posted pictures and videos of the newly acquired trains.
The governor said that the new trains which have been cleared at the port have been moved to the National Theatre station where they have been lifted onto the elevated rail tracks.
Lagos on course to change the face of rail transport
Governor Sanwo-Olu posted, “Dear Lagos, we have taken delivery of two new train sets for the Blue Line Rail. These passenger trains have been cleared at the port of entry and were moved to the National Theatre station where they have been lifted onto the elevated rail tracks.
“I am indeed glad to inform the good people of Lagos that with the arrival of these train sets, we’re on course with our plans to change the face of the rail transport system in Lagos State. A greater Lagos is indeed rising.”
The newly acquired acquire train sets for the Blue Rail Line will be an addition to the ones that had earlier been purchased by the state government.
Recall that earlier in January 2022, Governor Sanwo-Olu had said that the state government had acquired 3 new trains for the blue line rail project.
The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), had about 3 weeks ago announced that the infrastructure for the first phase of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LMRT) Blue Line is ready.
The authority in a statement signed by the Consultant, Corporate Communication of LAMATA, Mr. Kolawole Ojelabi, said the completion of the infrastructure is in fulfillment of the promise made by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu that the project would be completed in the last quarter of 2022, ahead of the commencement of passenger operations slated for the first quarter of 2023.
The Blue rail line which is part of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit will run 27.5 km from Marina to Okokomaiko, with 13 stations and an end-to-end journey time of 35 minutes. The entire Blue Line will operate over a secure and exclusive right-of-way, with no level crossings and no uncontrolled access by pedestrians or vehicles.
The route will run on the surface in the central reservation of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway between Igbo-Elerin Road (Okokomaiko) and Iganmu. The line will then be elevated from Iganmu along the south side of the expressway passing the junction with Eric Moore Road, crossing just south of the National Theatre to Iddo, and then south to Lagos Island with a terminal at Marina.
