Lagos State government has announced that it will temporarily shut down the blue rail line on Saturday, October 14, 2023 and Sunday, October 15, 2023, to resume Monday, October 16, 2023.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the executive governor of Lagos state, made this announcement on his official X (formerly known as Twitter) handle on Wednesday.
The Blue rail line started operations on September 4, ferrying passengers between Marina and Mile 2.
According to Sanwo-Olu, the decision to temporarily shut down the metro line is to improve its operations and increase the rail services by introducing electricity.
“From Monday, October 16, 2023, we’re increasing train trips on the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line from 12 to 54, with plans for 74 trips by the end of November, ” he said.
“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.”
Speaking on the success of the blue rail line, the governor said the first phase of the project, launched on September 4, 2023, has moved over 80,000 passengers.
“Our goal is to surpass 150,000 daily passengers between Marina and Mile 2 in the coming months,” he added.
Sanwo-Olu said he is committed to improving the commuting experience of Lagosians and enhancing the public transportation system in the state.
