By Kamil Opeyemi
The Lagos State government has announced that it is shutting down services for the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line on Saturday after the morning peak service and for the entire day on Sunday.
According to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu who disclosed this in a post on X, formerly Twitter on Wednesday, the suspension of services for the two days is to allow for increase in train trips from 12 to 54.
Noting that the plan is to achieve 74 trips by the end of November, Sanwo-Olu added that the momentary shut down which will allow switch to electricity is to ensure that safety of the passengers is top priority to the government.
“To make this transition, we’ll need to shut down train services on Saturday, October 14 after the morning peak service and for the entire day on Sunday, October 15, for the switch to electricity. This momentary pause is to ensure that your safety is our top priority.
“I can assure you that suspending passenger operations is a global practice to effect major changes. This switch to electricity will help us introduce more trips and help us serve more passengers safely.
“I’m proud to say that we launched the first phase of the LRMT Blue Line on September 4, 2023 and we have moved over 80,000 passengers. Our goal is to surpass 150,000 daily passengers between Marina and Mile 2 in the coming months.
“The future of Lagos trains is bright, and I’m committed to improving your commuting experience. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to enhance our public transportation system,” Sanwo-Olu said