Lagos-Ibadan train service, passengers demand for more coaches
As Nigerian Railway Corporations, NRC continued to provide free train rides for passengers boarding train from Lagos to Ibadan; beneficiaries have expressed satisfaction at the reliability of the train services, demanding for an increase in coaches so as to have more passengers on board.
According to journalists, who visited the Agbado train station where the free train departs Lagos daily for Ibadan every 4pm, they observed that the available coaches can only carry 40 passengers, thereby leaving passengers jostling for seat space anytime the train is set to leave Lagos for Ibadan.
Some of the passengers, who spoke to newsmen as they were about boarding the train from Lagos, lauded the free train ride and the cozy environment onboard the trains.
According to Alhaja Oshogbayi, “The free train ride is an eye-opener for many of us who traverse Lagos and Ibadan almost on a daily basis. For me, I never for once thought travelling between Lagos to Ibadan could be this comfortable.
“The air conditioners are working perfectly and the sitting arrangement is orderly. The China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, CCECC have really revolutionised train services in Nigeria with this set of coaches; how I wish they can increase the capacity of passengers per trip.
“Anytime I want to travel, I have to come very early, sometimes as early as 1pm for a train that will leave by 4pm because if I come late, I am sure not to get any seat onboard due to limited sitting arrangement. The train can only take 40 passengers, and the officials of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC won’t exceed that figure. So many times, people are left behind due to the limited sitting arrangement.”
CCECC Project Manager for the Lagos-Ibadan rail, Engineer Xia Lijun, while reacting to the call for more coaches, revealed that two new Diesel Multiple Units, DMU have just arrived, and could be deployed to the Lagos-Ibadan train services depending on Federal Government approval.
He said, “The good news, for now, is that two DMUs for the standard gauge rail have arrived. By the grace of God, if we are lucky, we will use those two new DMUs in our next ministerial inspection. Their deployment will be subject to the Minister’s directive, whether we use both here, on the Lagos-Ibadan rail or we deploy one for the Abuja-Kaduna rail services.”