Right now, it is difficult to control the emotions of Lagosians since the launch of the Red Line train service by President Bola Tinubu on 29th February.
Naturally, commuters had hoped that soon after the launch, commercial services would take off in earnest. However, going by antecedents, keen observers need no convincing that it doesn’t always happen that way.
The Blue Line, which was opened by the then President Muhammadu Buhari, did not begin commercial operations immediately. It took many weeks for what has now turned out to be the most impactful infrastructure development in the past 20 years in Lagos to kickstart.
Indeed the success of the Blue Line in terms of customer confidence and patronage, including the reliability exhibited by the owners of the project – Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) – has made expectations high for the Red Line.
But why hasn’t the test running of the Red Line started? LAMATA says it’s because there are other technical details that need to be straightened out first. Test running is expected to start soon, after which commercial operations will begin.
Although the human environment abhors a vacuum, but before test running begins on the Red Line corridor, LAMATA expects those who have encroached on the rail right of way to be expelled completely.
The Red Line is a 37km long metro service that cuts through the most populated parts of Lagos State – beginning from Agbado in Ogun state through Iju, Agege, Ikeja, Oshodi, Mushin, Tejusoho/Yaba and Ebute Metta. It will soon be extended to Marina through a meeting point with the Blue Line at the National Theatre, Iganmu.
The service is expected to move at least 500,000 passengers a day. What is more intriguing is the relief that this service would bring.
In the corridor are complex networks of roads that carry many commuters daily. Most are white collar residents who have work to do on the island everyday. Others are business owners and traders who must commute very early in order to beat traffic on the many networks of roads.
The Red Line is poised to cut back on delays and free the roads because of how it delicately pierced through most human high density areas on the corridor. It is the same on the return leg at close of work everyday.
Families won’t have their fathers leave on Monday and not return till the weekend when the Red Line begins operation. With this service, there would be more balance in families, healthier citizens as a result issues associated with road ranges, less accidents and less harmful emissions in the environment.
As Lagosians await further news on the commencement of this service, LAMATA has assured of premium service like it has done on the Blue Line corridor. It also promises that it would be a worthwhile wait as everything is being done to ensure quality service delivery and safety of passengers when the Red rolls off.
Nnadozie is a public affairs analyst
