Lagos light rail project to be ready in June -- Fashola

The first phase of the on-going Lagos light rail project, covering Okokomaiko, Mile 2, Orile, Iganmu, and Marina will be completed by June, the State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, has said.

Mr. Fashola made the statement while inspecting the light rail and other on-going projects in the state on Tuesday.

He said work had reached advanced stage and that the contractor had started laying tracks for the take-off of rail services.

The governor said that when completed, the project would revolutionise transportation in the state by eliminating the menace posed by commercial motorcycle operators. He appealed to residents, living around the project site, to protect it and refrain from acts that could undermine its delivery and smooth take-off.

“I will like to appeal to residents of Orile and Coker areas to stop dumping refuse around this project site. This project is being financed with money accruing from your taxes and I don’t think if you build things with your money, you will turn it into a refuse dump.

“I think this attitude makes our work more difficult. We will be sending the task force here to clean up the refuse and begin to enforce our sanitation laws. Most importantly, what I need from all of us citizens is buy-out, buy-in and ownership of this project as I want you all to take it as yours and ours,’’ he said.

The governor explained that the project was one of those financed with borrowed funds. He also said that his administration planned to build 1,000 flats around Ijora to ease accommodation problem in the area.

“It will also give the people, easy access to the light rail services,” he said.

He pledged the government’s commitment to the speed up completion of all on-going projects.