Erosion damages rail tracks in Ilorin, cripples train services

Mr Rasheed Gbadamosi, the District Manager, South West Zone of the  Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), says North-South train services have  been disrupted due to erosion caused by downpour  in some parts of Ilorin.

Gbadamosi, who disclosed this in Ilorin  while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the corporation had suffered  colossal losses in revenue.

The manager identified areas where the rail  tracks were  mostly affected to include  Ila market, Ogbondoroko site in Asa Local Government Area, Unity Road Junction and Agric area.

Gbadamosi added that the damaged tracks had crippled  train services during the recent  Eid-el-Kabir festival  regarded as the corporation’s peak period.

“The most catastrophic is the Unity Road junction although  there are pockets of minor ones, but the major one is that of  Unity junction,” he said.

Gbadamosi, however,  assured the public that  train services would soon be restored.

He also accused  the state government of not providing  the right drainage system,  especially during the  rainy season.

“This is becoming a regular phenomenon created by the state government.

“It is government’s responsibility to provide appropriate drainage to accommodate the volume of storm water, considering the topography of the affected areas,” he said.

Gbadamosi  appealed to the state government to provide appropriate drainage system in the affected locations to accommodate the volume of storm water during rainfall.

He said the corporation had  been battling in the last two weeks with the restoration of the tracks in order to link the Northern  and Southern part of the country to ensure  effective train services.

Gbadamosi said  the corporation was committed to providing efficient, effective, safe and reliable train services in the country.



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