Lagos Blue line begins operations

The Lagos Blue Line railway transportation system in Lagos has commenced full commercial operations in the state.

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu was among the first batch of passengers to ride in the transport company’s electrically powered train on Monday, 4 September, 2023.

The governor who wore a LAMATA uniform and blue tie, and boarded the train with other government officials, took the ride from the Marina station to Mile 2 around 9:00 a.m.

Before boarding the train, Sanwo-Olu explained to his co-passengers the requirements to board the train.

The governor 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.

Meanwhile, Abimbola Akinajo, the Managing Director of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) said for the first month, the train would run only 12 trips with the locomotive system.

She noted, however, that the agency 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.

Earlier, the governor had asked Lagosians to take ownership of the rail tracks even as his government has put measures to protect the facility.

“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 added.

“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.”

Relatedly, the Lagos State government yesterday, warned residents to avoid crossing the track of the Blue Rail line.

The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Gboyega Akosile, gave the warning via a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle.

The CPS advised residents to rather use the overhead bridges to avoid any sad occurrences stating that the rail line is electrified.

He wrote, “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,” he wrote.

Also, the General Manager of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, Abimbola Akinajo in a video clip accompanying Akosile’s post, expressed worry on the rate people cut fences on the Blue Rail and run across it.

“With regards to the operations of the Blue Line in particular, we all know that we have publicised that the Blue Line is going to be an electrified rail system. If you want to cross from one side to the other, you must use the overhead bridges.

“This is a necessity for all of us to understand and we have fenced all along the alignment for the Blue Line to ensure that people do not cross it. But what we see time and again is that people go there and they cut the fences and they run across.

“We have bothered to put pedestrian crossings; there is access for people with physical challenges, and therefore we have no reason to cross the track. So we just ask that people respect this and respect the rails because if we don’t, we will find ourselves in a very dire straits, ” she said.

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.

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