By Abubakar Yusuf
The decision of Lagos State government under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to flag off the construction of the 4th mainland bridge will be the best thing that will happen to Lagos state in recent times.
The project expected to kickstart in the second quarter of 2022 is coming at a time the third mainland bridge constructed by the Military in the 80s and completed in the 90s had reduced to the barest minimum the hustle and bustle of Lagos as well as the perennial traffic gridlock characterized with Lagos movement.
The new 4th mainland bridge convened by the present administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu expected to gulp billions with about 40 kilometers stretch will be a relief to the third mainland for commuters and travellers, as well as the BRT roads specialized for government high capacity buses.
The bridge when completed will assist the over 21M residents of Lagos State aside ease of doing businesses across the areas, but neighboring states of Edo, Oyo, Ogun, along with border communities.
The convening of the fourth mainland bridge will be a major breakthrough by the Lagos state government under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the areas of infrastructural development and breakthrough, that will decongest the ever busy Lagos roads to the betterment of cosmopolitan residents.
This also comes at a time the state government has opened up the waterways through acquisition of two big ships to enhance water transportation across the riverine areas of Lagos State and commuters whose intention is patronizing the water transport.
Because of the terrain of Lagos State that is surrounded with water, the natural phenomenon has paved the way for both land and water transportation to thrive on a large scale.
It therefore, allowed some residents of Lagos island that are surrounded with water and other areas will be dependent on predominantly water transportation for ease of their movement to and fro their destination.
Considering these critical situations and the growing population, the need for Lagos State government to key into all round transportation outlets across the state was desirable.
It is on record that despite the acquisition of high capacity BRT buses by the state government in spite of the incidence of EndSARS that affected the buses when most of it were burnt down by hoodlums, and swift acquisition of new ones by the state government, the road transport policy, with specialized roads had assisted greatly commuters movement in Lagos State.
The movement of Lagos State BRT buses on Lagos roads patronized not less 3 Million passengers daily or more, by providing smooth and safer movement from one location of the city to the other, without much gridlock or stress.
Aside, BRT roads, the construction of more link roads across the state and local government areas had contributed to the smooth movements of goods, services as well as people across the state.
Many beneficiaries across the state had given testimonies of the robust transport system of Lagos State that will only be obtainable in developed countries.
The new blue and red rail line in the offing will bring to an end the perennial problems of transportation across Lagos State before the end of the first quarter of 2022.
With a newly constructed initial 8 train stations across Lagos State, the new rail transport on stream by Lagos State government is expected to move Lagosians across the state a quantum of 5Million people daily.
Apart from ease of movement of people across Lagos State, with the fastest set of train coaches to be acquired by the state government, the long hours being spent on a trip will be reduced to the barest minimum daily and weekly.
The initial 8 modern train stations will gradually spread across the state with more stations that will turn rail transport as an alternative to either road and water transportation across Lagos State.
The Lagos State government planned to liberalise the major transport system from road to water, rail transportation will attract a bumper revenue to the state ,as well as attract more investment and investors in the economic and financial capital of Nigeria under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the state.
With rail transportation in Lagos state, the heavy burden of loads and movement of vehicles taking toll on Lagos roads will be reduced to the barest minimum in the course of time.
With all these in place, the present administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu in Lagos state would have overcome all indices of underdevelopment both natural and artificial phenomenon, for the continuous development of Lagos State.
Yusuf, Writes From Abuja. Email: yus.abubakar3@gmail.com