The Lagos State Government, in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA, has unveiled the Lagos Urban Railway Development project.
This project is aimed at paving the way for a new transportation system to be called the Automated Guide Transit (AGT), a type of monorail.
The survey titled, “Lagos Urban Railway Development Project in the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, was revealed at a seminar held last week in Ikeja with all the relevant stakeholders in attendance.
The study showed that the new transportation system would help mitigate traffic congestion and improve the environment in Lagos state. The monorail project will run from Marina to Victoria Island and Ikoyi.
Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Dr, Dayo Mobereola, who spoke at the event, stated that the project is estimated to be executed at about $1 billion dollars, a huge percentage of which would come from the private sector.
Mobereola while shedding more light said the project has to commence from Marina, Victoria Island and Ikoyi, because the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Lagos State comes mainly from the axis and it constitutes a major attraction for investments in Lagos.
He noted that during this project, major existing structures would not be affected, since the middle of the roads would be used for its implementation. However he emphasised that compensation would be paid by the State where existing structures are affected.
Commenting on the state of transportation in Lagos Island, LAMATA Public Transport Director, Gbenga Dairo, an engineer, observed that the current issues affecting road networking around Victoria Island and Ikoyi, were inappropriate road layout, poor traffic management, inadequate public transport and institutional obstacles.
In his remarks, the team leader, Urban Railway and Transport Planning, JICA, Mr. Akiyama Yoshihiro, said the preparatory survey carried out in August, 2015, was based on terms of reference agreed on between JICA and LAMATA.
