Governor Babatunde Fashola on Thursday undertook an inspection tour of the on-going construction of the Light Rail Mass Transit (Blue Line) and retrofitting of ferries at the Mile 2 Jetty, expressing satisfaction that there has also been significant progress in the projects, although there has been delay.
The areas inspected by the Governor included the National Theatre Terminus and interchange for buses and Park and Ride, the four-kilometre tracks being laid from Orile to Mile 2, Mile 2 Terminal and Works Yard for the Lagos – Badagry Expressway project.
The Governor also visited the Mile 2 Jetty Terminus where he inspected retrofitting work being carried out on five 80 – seater Aluminum ferries to be deployed for subsidized water transportation by the Lagos Ferry Services Company.
Governor Fashola said in spite of the delay, substantial progress has been made especially on the terminals at Costain and Mile 2 which, according to him, were just concrete the last time he visited but are now advancing rapidly to completion.
Governor Fashola, who was conducted round the project by the Blue Line Light Rail Project Manager, Mr. Li Bing, further disclosed that the contractors would start asphalting the Mile 2 bound section of the Lagos – Badagry Expressway, from FESTAC Gate to Trade Fair, by the end of August while the same work on the Trade Fair bound section, from Mile 2 to Trade fair, would commence by September.
Commenting on the progress of work at the Mile 2 Jetty, Governor Fashola, who recalled that during his earlier visit to the Jetty, there were several dilapidated and abandoned boats sunk in water, said five of the boats have been lifted out of the water for retrofitting and three have had advanced retrofitting work, while the other two were being cleaned.
Lagos State Ferry Service Company would be fully owned by the Government to work and subsidize ferry service for middle level and poor commuters, somewhat different from what the private operators, who are being given license also, would be providing.