Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority (LAMATA) is perfecting plans to increase trips on the Blue Line 13-kilometre rail corridor from 54 to 76 trips before the end of the year.

The Managing Director of the agency, Abimbola Akinajo, disclosed this at a briefing in Lagos, organised in commemoration of the agencys 20 years of operations.

The agencys boss also gave timelines for the completion of the second phase of the Blue Line and the commencement of operation on the Red Line.

Akinajo said the second phase of the Blue Line Rail project, from Mile 2 to Okoko, which construction has started, will be completed in 2027.

With infrastructure work expected to be completed this December, the agency is targeting the second quarter of 2024 for the commencement of commercial operation on the Red Line corridor. The Red Line rail is a 37 Kilometer rail route proposed to run from Agbado to Marina with 13 stations at Agbado, Iju, Agege, Ikeja, MMIA International, MMIA Domestic, Oshodi, Mushin, Yaba, Ebute meta, Iddo, Ebute Ero and Marina.

On road transportation, LAMATA said no fewer than 1,000 electric buses (EBs) would be deployed on the roads in the next 24 months, an effort aimed at exploring alternative fuel for urban mobility and cutting greenhouse emissions. (Channels TV)