The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) says it will test run the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge line early February.
NRC Managing Director, Fidet Okhiria, who disclosed this on Wednesday at Ijoko in Ogun, while inspecting the project, said work on the tracks is moving towards Lagos with 1.5 kilometers being laid daily.
“They have done a lot in laying of tracks between Abeokuta, Itori, Papalanto, Kajola, Ijoko towards Lagos corridor.
“Within seven days the track laying will reach Iju towards Agege corridor of Lagos state.
“From here to Iju is 10 kilometers, and we are laying 1.5 kilometers on daily basis and by the first week of February we will do a test run to Abeokuta from Lagos.
“All the formations have been put in place to expedite the tracks laying,” he said.
Okhiria said work had been completed between Kajola and Abeokuta.
NRC Lagos District Manager, Jerry Oche, said that when completed, the trains would be travelling at 150 kilometers per hour.
“With the new standard gauge, you can reside in Ibadan and be working in Lagos which is a very good development to people and for our economy,” he said.
Recently, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said that the completion of Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge would ease off the Apapa gridlock.
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.