The Lagos State Government has commenced commercial operation of the Blue Line Rail Mass Transit years after it was first conceived in 1983.
According to a live broadcast by Channels Television on Monday, the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is taking an inaugural ride from Marina to Mile-2.
Recall that former President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned the first phase of the train station in Lagos in January.
The first phase extends from Marina to Mile 2 and is 13 kilometres.
The 27km rail line will transport about 500,000 passengers daily.
The first phase has five stations — Marina, National Theatre, Iganmu, Alaba and Orile station.
The full trip from Marina to Mile 2 will cost N750, while zonal fares — for passengers who are not making a full trip — will be between N400 and N500.
The Blue Line Rail Project was proposed in 1983 during the administration of the former Governor of Lagos State, the Late Alhaji Lateef Jakande.
The rail network was flagged off 20 years later, during the administration of Bola Tinubu in 2003.
In a chat with reporters, the Managing Director of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Abimbola Akinajo, said riders can use the cowry card to access the train after the price list for the Blue Rail line was released.
She stated that the Blue rail line will begin with the first phase spanning from Marina to Mile 2, boasting five stations: Marina, National Theatre, Iganmu, Alaba, and Orile.
Akinajo added that LAMATA is promising a journey of just 15 minutes between Marina and Mile 2, a route that typically takes over an hour, adding that the transport authority is promising 12 trips per day but is expected to expand to 76 daily trips, running from 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
She said the train fare was initially fixed at N750 from Marina to Mile 2, N500 from Marina to National Theatre and N400 to Iganmu-Orile. But with the palliative, passengers would pay N375 from Mile 2 to Marina.
Akinajo stated that passengers and commuters have been warned to avoid crossing the track of the Blue Rail line to avoid instant electrocution, adding that the government has provided overhead bridges for those who want to cross from one side to the other.
Recall that the rail service is being managed by LAMATA and was commissioned by former President Muhammadu Buhari in December 2022.
However, commercial operation of the rail service could not commence in the first quarter of 2023 as scheduled because of the delay in the completion of the electricity infrastructure expected to power it.
