By Oluwatosin Maliki
The Lagos State government has announced a temporary suspension of services on the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line.
The shutdown will take place on Saturday, following the morning peak service, and continue throughout Sunday.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu conveyed this decision in a statement shared on social media, highlighting the purpose of the brief service interruption. The move is aimed at enhancing train services by increasing the number of daily trips from the current 12 to an impressive 54. Governor Sanwo-Olu has set an ambitious target of achieving 74 daily trips by the end of November.
Sanwo-Olu emphasized that safety remains the top priority for the government. The temporary shutdown, which facilitates the transition to electricity as the main power source, is part of the government’s commitment to ensuring passengers’ well-being.
He explained, “I can assure you that suspending passenger operations is a global practice to effect major changes. This switch to electricity will help us introduce more trips and help us serve more passengers safely”.
Since the launch of the first phase of the LRMT Blue Line on September 4, 2023, it has successfully transported over 80,000 passengers. The government’s objective is to surpass 150,000 daily passengers between Marina and Mile 2 in the coming months.
He further expressed, “I’m proud to say that we launched the first phase of the LRMT Blue Line on September 4, 2023, and we have moved over 80,000 passengers. Our goal is to surpass 150,000 daily passengers between Marina and Mile 2 in the coming months”.
“The future of Lagos trains is bright, and I’m committed to improving your commuting experience. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to enhance our public transportation system”.