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The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, ordered the contractor handling the Red Rail Line project in the state to complete the job by December.
The governor gave the directive when he inspected the Red Line Rail infrastructure with other top officials of the state government.
He was accompanied on the trip by the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, his Environment and Water Resources counterpart, Tokunbo Wahab, and that of Transportation, Seun Osiyemi.
Also on the team were the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Ope George, Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, and the Managing Director of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Bimbo Akinajo, among others.
The Red Line rail project is a 37-kilometre rail route expected to run from Agbado to Marina with 13 stations at Agbado, Iju, Agege, Ikeja, Oshodi, Airport (international and domestic), Mushin, Yaba, Ebute Meta, Iddo, Ebute Ero and Marina.
It will take at least 1,000 passengers per trip when in full operation.
In his address, Sanwo-Olu said the Yaba and Ikeja-Along Bridge component of the Red Rail Line would be opened to the public next month.
He also ordered traders along the Agege rail line to vacate the route within two days.
The governor revealed that the state government would construct more bridges along the routes in conjunction with the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC).
READ ALSO: Akin-Bright: Lagos Assembly urges Sanwo-Olu to hasten overseas treatment of boy with missing intestine
He said: “The state government is on track to deliver the project before the end of the year. Phase 2 of the Blue Line has been awarded, and hopefully, it will be completed faster than the first phase which stretches from Marina to Mile 2.
“We have seen the state of infrastructure on our Red Rail Line corridor, and we are impressed.
“We are also on track to deliver the project before the end of the year. However, there is still work to be done, especially clearing illegal structures around the tracks and general clean-up of the axis.
“The Red line is also on track and you see that a lot of citizens are excited and they are waiting for us to commission it.
“But we cannot take any safety measure for granted. Everything must be ready and ready to go and I’s must be dotted and T’s must be crossed.
“That’s why I have taken time to come out today again and give all the contractors marching orders to push forward and go and start cleaning up, and doing completion.
“While some of the bridges are completed, some are about 98 percent ready. We will start opening them to vehicular movement from October before the train starts work officially.”
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