The Oshodi BRT Bus Terminal has been ongoing for close to 3years now. It is a project initiated by Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode. According to the Mr. Ambode, the transport interchange is totalled to cost $70 million, and it will be funded on the public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement, noting that it would be completed between 13 and 16 months. 2 years have gone and the project is still on-going, in fact, Lagosians are beginning to wonder if this project will ever end soon.
The Lagos State Government when addressing the press in 2016 said the exchange will be completed through a Public-Private Partnership initiative between the Lagos State Government via Ibile Holdings, Translink Capital Development Limited and Planet Projects Limited. The new interchange will cost an estimated $70 million according to Governor Ambode and several financial institutions have also expressed interest to be part of the project. Each bus terminal will be 30,000 square metres and will include standard facilities such as waiting areas, loading bays, ticketing stands, driver lounge, parking areas, restrooms among others.
According to LASG, Oshodi currently accommodates about a million pedestrians and 100,000 passengers who utilise the 13 parks on a daily basis. Over the years, this has caused chronic traffic, overcrowding as well as an unhygienic environment. The Special Adviser to the Governor on Urban Development, Yetunde Onabule explained that the concept of the Oshodi regeneration plan is premised on a three-pronged approach including Urban Renewal, Environmental Regeneration as well as Transformation and Security. Ambode also explained that the project was in line with his administration’s determination to transform Oshodi into a world class CBD with business, travel and leisure activities conducted in a serene, secure, clean, orderly and hygienic environment.
The project was meant to be commissioned last year October during the Independence Day but was proposed to open in December, December came and nothing to show forth until this present moment.
In late May 2016, the Lagos State Government (LASG) laid out plans for the regeneration of Oshodi into a world-class Central Business District (CBD). These plans will begin with the construction of a Transport Interchange that will consolidate the 13 city and interstate bus parks in Oshodi into 3 multi-story bus terminals.
* Terminal One will run from the Mosafejo Market Axis and will be used for inter-state transport activities;
* Terminal Two will run from the former Owonifari Market and will be used for intra-city transport activities;
* Terminal Three will run from the area adjacent to NAFDAC and will also be used for intra-city transport activities.
AutoReportNG has been keeping a tab on Oshodi Transport Interchange and we got some exclusive images for you. Even though Planet Projects, the company handling this project has been very slow on this but so far, they seem to be trying to beat the time for Gov Ambode to commission this edifice before leaving office. Base on our assessment, we noticed that work on this project can be put at 90% as the skyway seems to have been completed and the parkway too is already in its completion stage.
After a walkover from Oshodi to the other bus stations, the workers are working endlessly and fixing the stands, the flooring and other roads linking to the terminal. We are still not sure how Planet Projects will construct the road from the bridge to the bus station especially the part where the agberos load the passengers and where we have the street hawkers. We can only watch as all these unfolds.
The Lagos State Government has assured Nigerians that Pres. Buhari will commission this project before the expiration of Gov. Ambode.
We got some images for you and these may interest you.