Railway
An Overview Of The Lagos-Ibadan Railway: Take A Look At Lagos, Ebute-Metta Terminal, Trains And More (Photos)
The Lagos-Ibadan Railway has come into fore-front again, this time, we will be looking at some of the minor and concluding works ongoing on this Lagos-Ibadan railway project. The railway project connects three South-Western states together, states like Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states are linked in such a way that one can work in Lagos and also live in either Ibadan, Abeokuta and still make it to work on time.
According to the minister of transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, the Lagos-Ibadan Railway is designed such that the train can move from Ibadan terminal and arrive in Lagos in just 40 minutes.
A lot of work and resources have been expended on this project, the federal government has purchased some new trains from the CRCC factory in China, the first batch has been put into use and its currently undergoing test run while the new terminal at Ebute-Metta is receiving massive finishing touch.
The second batch (11 units) of diesel locomotives made by CRRC Qishuyuan for export to Nigeria for Abuja-Kaduna Railway and Lagos-Ibadan Railway were shipped from Changzhou Port to Shanghai, starting their journey to Nigeria. The second batch will be used as a shuttle for the Lagos, Ogun and Oyo routes.
The MD of NRC, Fidet Okhiria has said that the take-off of the will start by the middle of September from Yaba to Ibadan while the other construction finishing will continue. We already have 24 coaches and a set of DMUs (Diesel Multiple Units) made of eight coaches. With that, we intend to have 16 trips a day.”
The rail tracks on the 156km modern rail line from the Ebute Metta Junction to Ibadan have been completed while the 10 major and minor stations are at various stages of completion.
The stations along the corridor include Apapa, Ebutte Metta Junction, Agege, Agbado, Kajola, Papalanto, Abeokuta, Olodo, Omi-Adio and Ibadan.
It will be recalled that a $1.53 billion contract was awarded in 2012 to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation for construction of the Lagos–Ibadan segment (156 km) of the standard gauge railway by 2016. However, the project has also faced delays. A ground-breaking ceremony finally took place on 7 March 2017, and the railway was scheduled for completion in December 2018.
Construction was delayed by heavy rains in Spring 2018, and the Nigerian government had to deploy soldiers to protect the railway workers from hoodlums and armed robbers. Construction was further delayed by the 2019 Nigerian general election when CCECC evacuated its Chinese employees as a precaution. The railway is now scheduled for completion in May 2020 but could not hold due to the pandemic of COVID-19 that forced a total lockdown to all countries of the world.
Lagos Ebute-Metta Terminal Construction
The Trains From CRRC Factory
