Under the T.H.E.M.E.S development agenda, which Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu launched in December 2018, the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) network falls under “T” — Traffic Management and Transportation. But the visionary project could have been categorised under the alphabet “M” — Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy.
The Lagos State Government has on Tuesday taken delivery of the modern coaches from Milwaukee USA. The coaches will be used on the Lagos Metro Red Line Railway Project starting first quarter of 2023, Quest Times can authoritatively report.
The Lagos Rail project in full flight will move millions of Lagosians daily via the rapid transit system around the State.
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According to Lagos State Government, LRMT covers six major corridors and one monorail route of high commuter traffic demand within and beyond metropolitan Lagos, extending to border areas of Agbado in Ogun State.
The Red Line part of the project will traverse 37 kilometres from Agbado in Ogun State to Oyingbo on the international standard gauge in the first phase, and terminate at Iddo, Lagos in the second phase. This can transport over 500,000 passengers daily at inception in the first quarter of next year and 1.1 million when fully operational.
The Blue Line rail on the other hand will be running on electric tracks with Electric Motor Vehicle (EMV) and therefore citizens are warned to keep off the train lines and ensure they don’t walk on it.
Many businesses, residents and visitors along that corridor will be opportuned to make stops at the several proposed stations, including Agbado, Iju, Agege, Ikeja, Sogunle, Oshodi, Mushin, Yaba, Ebute Metta, and Iddo with connection to the international and domestic wings of the Murtala Muhammed Airport.
The LRMT is a time-saving transport system expected to make the trip from Agbado to Marina as short as 35 minutes.
Just as construction is speedily progressing, the state government is busy acquiring the trains that will run through the routes and provide commuters pleasurable rides.
The Sanwo-Olu-led government purchased two Series 8 trains for the Red Line train project. Two trains were originally designed for a high-speed rail line to connect Madison and Milwaukee in the United States.
Jim Doyle, the Governor of Wisconsin, ordered the trains in 2009. The state was awarded $810 million for the project in a federal stimulus bill. However, the project was dropped over contract terms with Talgo after Scott Walker took over from Doyle. The matter later resulted in a court battle.
Quest Times learned the trains will become part of the first operational metro system in West Africa.