The Federal Government on Saturday announced the commencement of free train rides on the over $1.5bn new Lagos-Ibadan railway service.
It said the free rides would last for four months and urged commuters to use the train service during the festive season.
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who announced this via his official Twitter handle, noted that the standard gauge rail line was ready for use.
According to him, the free train ride would commence on Saturday November 30, 2019, till the end of the first quarter of 2020.
The minister’s tweet was greeted with several reactions, as some of his followers lauded the move, while others criticised the development.
But Adedayo Adeyemo did not see any sense in the arrangement, as he stated that “there will be overcrowding, no one to hold accountable for poor service as it is free.
Meanwhile, The Federal Controller of Works, Lagos, Mr Adedamola Kuti, has said the barricade around Kara Bridge would be opened to motorists on Sunday, December 1. (today).
Kuti told our correspondent on Saturday that construction work had been completed on inbound Lagos, adding that the road would be opened on Sunday morning.
According to him, when the contractor returns to site in January, construction work will commence on outbound-Lagos.
Julius Berger, the construction firm in charge of Section 1 of the road from Old Toll Gate to Sagamu Interchange, had diverted the Lagos-bound lane of the Berger Bus Stop/Kara Cattle Market on September 2, when reconstruction work on the axis began.
Vehicles, both inbound and outbound Lagos, were diverted to the outbound lane up to Isheri Junction, before redistributing to the normal lanes.
Kuti had stated then that the road would be opened by December 15.
The diversion, however, became a major challenge, causing gridlock on the busy corridor, especially whenever there was an accident or a breakdown of articulated vehicles.
Out of frustration, many commuters resorted to driving against traffic, further compounding the problem.
Kuti said with the completion of one part of the road, there was no need waiting for more time before removing the barricade for people to move freely during Christmas.
He stated that work would resume between first and second week of January, 2020.
He also explained that the Kara Bridge section would be completed by mid-February. Punch
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Lagos-Ibadan