The Lagos State Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) has completed three levels of impact assessment studies for the construction of the state Rail Mass Transit – the LRMT Red Line project, as construction work begins.
Management of LAMATA, however, assured residents of areas hosting projects associated with LRMT Red Line project of adequate security arrangements for the safety of lives and property.
The rail project on completion of the first phase is projected to move more than 750,000 passengers daily.
The first phase would have nine stations at Oyingbo, Ebute Metta Junction, Yaba, Mushin, Oshodi, Ikeja, Agege, Iju, and Agbado and three pedestrian bridges at Oyingbo, Ilupeju Bye pass, and Ikeja.
The Red Line rail project is a 37 kilometre rail route from Agbado to Marina. It is divided into two phases, the first of which would run from Agbado to Oyingbo.
The Red line is one of the six railroad routes identified in the State Strategic Transport Master Plan, STMP. The STMP also proposed a monorail for the Victoria Island/Ikoyi/Lekki axis of the state.
Speaking on behalf of the Managing Director, Engr. Abimbola Akinajo, at a stakeholder meeting in Agege, the Deputy Director, Corporate Investment Planning and Head of Safeguard, LAMATA, Mr. Obafemi Shitta-Bey, said three studies were conducted to determine the level of support to be provided each community to be impacted by the project.
The studies are Environmental and Social Management Plan, Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, and Resettlement Action Plan.
Akinajo informed that all persons to be affected would be hedged against adverse effects of the project and ensure that they are adequately compensated.
He stated that the state government was implementing the project as part of the vision of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration for better traffic management and transportation in a state where there is a daily average of over 20 million trips.
According to Akinajo, the government was also considering other locations since there would be no interactions among the train services and vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
He enumerated the advantages of a train system, which he described as a mass mover of people, to include: faster movement, decongestion of roads since more people would move over to the train as a means of transportation, stable fare and promotion of transit-oriented developments among others.
Akinajo, therefore, urged stakeholders to assist contractors executing the project in achieving the vision of Governor Sanwo-Olu to complete the Red Line project.
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