IT was a historic moment, as the speed train eventually landed at Ologuneru, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, which is km 152 of the 157 km-long project.
An excited Nigerian Railway Chairman Alhaji Ibrahim Alhassan said the remaining five kilometres would be linked before the end of the month.
Alhassan spoke in Ibadan, after a meeting with the contractor, supervising consultants and other stakeholders at Ologuneru Works Yard, Ibadan, after the inspection.
He said the double track have been laid up to KM 133, adding that the contractor has promised that the double track would get to Ibadan by July ending.
He added that it is only when the two lines have gotten to Ibadan that attention would now be shifted to the provision of ancillary services such as the provision of train stations and other rail infrastructure.
According to him, attention is focused at the provision of two critical mega stations at Lagos and Ibadan, from where the NRC chairman said commercial activities will kick off.
He said smaller stations between Lagos and Ibadan will be completed before the end of the year, adding that temporary structures such as potakabins could be provided pending the completion of the stations.
“Work is at various stages at all the train stations. When you have a project of these enormity, you need to prioritise your critical needs and we chose the construction of the rail track. Once this is completed and we have been assured that this would be done before July ending, we would now focus on the provision of ancillary infrastructure,” Alhassan said.
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Alhassan hailed the President for his commitment to the railway, adding that his commitment has gone a long way in transforming the nation’s railway landscape.
According to the chairman, Buhari’s position was consistent with his avowed commitment to the promotion of the railway as the backbone of the nation’s architecture, adding that such commitment has seen Nigeria joining the comity of nations with standard gauge rail infrastructure.
He equally praised former Minister of Transportation Mr. Rotimi Amaechi for his commitment, persistence and sacrifice to the railway project, which, he said, have led to the transformation being witnessed on the corridor.
On the delays being recorded on the Lagos end, he said much of the challenges was due to encroachment on the right of way, adding that with all issues finally resolved, work has resumed and will be accelerated.
He said the implementation committee has been fully briefed about the alternative solutions to most of the challenges.
NRC Managing Director Mr. Fidet Okhiria, in a separate interview, said with the rail tracks almost completed, the corporation is already mapping out strategies of commencing commercial activities on the Lagos-Ibadan rail corridor.
He added that already, the corporation has taken delivery of two coaches, which according to him, have already been delivered at Papalanto station, in Adumbu village.
The NRC chief said two other coaches are being expected before the end of the month, which would add the total coaches to be deployed when commercial activity rolled up while he would be leading a team to China next month for compliance and certification inspection of any set of rolling stocks.
He said commercial activity would be rolled up by August, and the corporation has identified some places where it could commence the sales of tickets for the speed train. [THE NATION]
