Lagos bullish with transport infrastructure development
…Embarks on massive construction to enhance mobility
The Lagos State government appears bullish in opening up more space for ease of transportation across the metropolis with the massive development of the Quality Bus Corridor (QBC) project.
The QBC project was initiated by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) as part of the state government’s Greater Lagos initiative.
The first part of the QBC package is an 8.7-kilometer project that runs from Yaba to Cele along the Apapa-Oshodi expressway.
Apart from the blue and red line train service, the state government is also undertaking road projects to open up other parts of the state to ease transportation and make life easier for commuters across Lagos.
The Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration has embarked on the ambitious plan to revamp the city’s transportation network as part of his T.H.E.M.E.S agenda, aimed at easing mobility, reducing congestion, and enhancing the overall quality of life for residents of Nigeria’s economic hub.
The QBC is a project that is jointly funded by the Lagos State Government and Agence Française de Développement (AfD) and aims to improve Lagos’ public transportation by upgrading bus facilities and increasing transit efficiency.
In its bid to upgrade the state’s bus facilities and create an efficient and modern transport infrastructure, the Lagos State government through its transport development agency, LAMATA, demolished some structures along the QBC corridor at Ojuelegba and Cele to accommodate the new initiative.
Godwin Ayebe, a Lagos-based media professional, told BusinessDay that the QBC project represents a major step in Lagos’ ongoing efforts to develop a more efficient and integrated transport system. According to him, the demolition of houses along the QBC corridor is a necessary part of the process.
He however, posited that the government must ensure all affected residents are adequately compensated in real time.
“Regarding the demolition of houses, it’s important to note that such projects often require the acquisition of land and the removal of structures that fall within the designated corridors,” Ayebe said.
The project represents a key step towards transforming Lagos’ transportation network, providing a more efficient and commuter-friendly system.
It also aims to enhance public transportation by upgrading existing bus stops, creating walkways to promote non-motorised transport, and implementing an Intelligent Transport System (ITS) for better traffic management.
“While it is quite commendable as it will make for a dignified public transportation system, those who would have to sacrifice their properties should be adequately compensated,” Moses Lawal, another Lagos-based commuter, told BusinessDay.
He further said that the state government should adopt a win-win initiative in accommodating everybody affected along the QBC corridor. “Recall the demolitions that took place during the construction of the Red Line corridor and how everyone was happy with the process. Such a template should be replicated in this Instance.”
Bringing human-face to governance
In a bid to ensure a smooth transition for affected Lagosians, LAMATA initiated a compensation scheme with Global Impact Environmental Consulting, as the implementing partner for the resettlement action plan.
Abimbola Akinajo, managing director, LAMATA, while presenting cheques to the affected residents, stated that the QBC project would improve public transportation in Lagos, and that the agency will be fair in compensating affected persons.
He further underscored the urgency of the project and the need to capitalise on favourable weather conditions to expedite construction.
Babatunde Osho, the managing director of Global Impact Environmental Consulting, lauded the affected persons and the community for their support and cooperation during the enumeration process.
Read also: LAMATA understudies Transport for London to lift Lagos system
Knowing Quality Bus Corridor (QBC) 1, 2, 3
In an attempt to speed up the project, the Lagos State government initiated a revalidation and valuation process for structures affected by the planned 8.7-kilometer QBC project package 1 in May 2024.
LAMATA had earlier assured residents that the government would strictly follow the approved design, by taking only the minimal space required for construction.
But, in August 2024, LAMATA awarded contracts to China Road & Bridge, Trucrete Solutions, and Craneburg Construction for the QBC project.
China Road & Bridge is responsible for the Ketu-Alapere-Akanimodo and Yaba-Lawanson-Cele routes under QBC Package 1.
QBC package 1 is part of a broader initiative that includes QBC Package 2, which extends from Iju Ishaga to Abule Egba, and QBC Package 3, that extends from Iyana Iba to Igando.
The Iju-Ishaga-Abule-Egba route for QBC package 2 was awarded to Trucrete Solutions, while Craneburg Construction will manage QBC package 3 that covers Iyana-Iba to Igando.
LAMATA rail initiative along Lagos-Badagry corridor
While the rail service along the Blue and Red Line corridor is no longer news for many Lagosians who resides along these routes, however, the state government has been in the news for the extension of the rail service network into other part of the state.
One of the major ongoing rail projects by LAMATA is the Phase 2 of the Blue Line Rail project, which includes six stations located at Festac, Alakija, Trade Fair, Volkswagen, LASU, and Okokomaiko.
Along the six stations that cover 14 kilometers are three critical bridges situated at Maza-Maza, Satelite and LASU. While two of the three bridges are being constructed anew; the Maza-Maza Bridge was demolished to accommodate a stronger rail line infrastructure.
A recent drive along the corridor indicated that the construction work on the bridges at Satelite and LASU is currently above 50 percent completed.
Similarly, construction work on the rail track has also progressed to a visible state for non-expert to identify the nature of work being done along the corridor. This is so because the axis between First Gate and Agboju; Trade Fair and Barracks, and LASU to Okoko is currently above 50 percent completed.
Last Friday, Sanwo-Olu inaugurated three newly built roads in Eti Osa Local Government Area, unveiling more strategic infrastructure projects to enhance connectivity in the metropolis.
He commissioned the upgraded and dualised 2.8km-long Chief Yesufu Abiodun Oniru Road and Akiogun Road — both of which serve as crucial alternative routes that will significantly reduce gridlock around Victoria Island and Admiralty Circle Plaza.
The governor also inaugurated newly constructed 550 metre Abudu Street in Victoria Island, opening a new route to connect the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
The road projects, which reduce journey time by 40 minutes, are completed with improved drainage to solve perennial flooding problems hitherto experienced along the corridor. They serve as bypasses to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road being constructed in the corridor.The Lagos State government appears bullish in opening up more space for ease of transportation across the metropolis with the massive development of the Quality Bus Corridor (QBC) project.
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