PHOTOS: Buhari inaugurates first phase of Lagos blue line rail project

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, inaugurated the blue line rail project in Lagos.

The blue line project is one of the six rail lines and monorails prescribed for Lagos in the state’s strategic transport master plan (STMP).

The construction which was divided into phases for ease of implementation and is expected to move more than 500,000 passengers when the entire line is completed.

The first phase, which Buhari inaugurated, is a 13-kilometre stretch from Marina to Mile 2 and has five stations at Suru-Alaba, Orile Iganmu, National Theatre, Mile 2 and Marina. It is expected to move about 200,000 passengers daily.

Earlier this year, the state government took delivery of two new train sets for the first phase of the blue line rail project.

Speaking at the inauguration, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, said the project, which is people focused, would “reduce travel time, improve the quality of life of the people, and improve the economy of the state”.

He said Lagos is one of the most resilient megacities, improving its capacity to compete with other megacities in the world.

Sanwo-Olu also assured that before the end of  Buhari’s tenure, the state government would commission the red line, which he described as “a bigger, better and longer rail line. “

The governor, who also signed the second phase of the Lagos Blue line rail (Mile 2 to Okokomaiko) with Messrs CCECC, in the presence of the president, said it was an assurance of the government’s commitment to bringing the entire stretch of the blue line to completion.

On Monday, the president inaugurated the Lekki deep seaport and the Imota rice mill in the state.

Here are pictures from the blue line inauguration event.