Feb 28, 2024

Shanties that were erected by the rail tracks in Lagos were cleared yesterday by the state government ahead of the commissioning of the Red Line Train by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday (today).

It was observed the shanties were cleared by the tracks from Ikeja to Agege and around the train stations.

Daily Trust reported that when it visited Agege Train Station yesterday, heavily armed mobile police officers were on ground as traders dismantled their makeshift shops and took them away.

A witness said the clearance operation  is part of the planned commissioning of the Red Line train service.

Also, the Agege Train Station is wearing a new look ahead of the commissioning of the train service which is the first phase of the project, which will run from Agbado in Ogun State to Oyingbo in the heart of Lagos.

The train, when fully operational, will run 37 trips and convey about 500,000 passengers daily, according to the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotosho.

It brings to two the rail lines owned and operated by the Lagos State Government. The first, The Blue Line, runs from Marina to Mile 2.

The first phase of the Red Line has eight stations, namely Agbado, Iju, Agege, Ikeja, Oshodi, Mushin, Yaba and Oyingbo.

Omotosho, in a statement said, “As part of the inter-modal connectivity of our public transportation infrastructure, the Redline is integrated with Bus Terminals at Ikeja, Oshodi, Oyingbo, Ikeja, Yaba and Iju.

 “To guarantee the safety of commuters and Lagosians, the rail corridor has 10 vehicular overpasses and pedestrian bridges to separate the train from vehicular and pedestrian traffic.”