Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will today flag-off the newly constructed Standard Gauge railway line from Iju in Lagos State to Abeokuta in Ogun State.
According to Minister of Transport, Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi who dropped the hint recently at Abeokuta after a test run of two coaches attached to a shutting engine and open wagon carrying a generator to power the coaches from Agbado to Abeokuta, the passenger train service will boost economic activities between the two states of Lagos and Ogun.
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He explained further that after the flag-off by the vice president, passengers will be carried free of charge in the two coaches free of charge pending the arrival two additional coaches from Itakpe. The minister also reiterated that government has placed order for 30 standard gauge locomotive engines and 300 Wagons from China.
He disclosed that after the flag off civil work from the Iju to Iddo axis of the Lagos to Ibadan project will continue. He was quite optimistic that the Laying of tracks from Abeokuta to Ibadan axis will be completed by June this year adding that civil work has already been completed while ballasting is ongoing.
The Minister posited that pending the completion of negotiations with Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) on the Ibadan to Ilorin axis of the Lagos to Kano standard gauge railway project, movement of passengers by rail from Lagos to Abeokuta when fully operational will reduce damage on our roads caused by heavy duty trucks and traffic congestion especially in Lagos.
