An estimated 700,000 passengers are projected to ride the Abuja light
rail (ALR) daily when the first phase of the project takes off in 2015.
FCT Minister, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed stated this on Tuesday
during the flag-off of construction works on the 12 rail stations
located along the first phase of the ALR project. He performed the
flag-off ceremony jointly with the Chairman, Senate Committee on FCT,
Senator Smart Adeyemi and the FCT Minister of State, Oloye Olajumoke
Akinjide. The ground-breaking took place at site of the National Park
Rail Station, Wuye District, Abuja.
The 12 railway stations
under construction cover lots 1A and 3 which make up the first phase of
the ALR project. The projects are scheduled to be completed within the
first quarter of 2015.
Giving a breakdown of the 12 rail
stations, Senator Bala Mohammed said that Lot 1A has four stations while
Lot 3 has eight. The four stations along Lot 1A are Gwagwa Station,
Deidei Station, Jibi Station and Gwazango Station while the eight
stations along Lot 3 are Abuja Metro Station, National Stadium Station,
National Park Station, Ring Road II Station, Wupa Station, Idu Transfer
Station, Airport East Station and Airport Main Station.
Senator
Bala Mohammed said the 12 stations would provide shopping precincts,
cultural and entertainment centres to boost tourism. According to him,
“The rail stations are places of high economic activities, boarding or
alighting, rail transit management and operations, commercial and
tourism activities.”
The Minister added that the locations of
the stations were strategically designed to connect the FCT
transportation network to districts and area councils. He said the
remaining five lots, namely 1B, 2,4,5 and 6 are available for concession
on design, build, operate and transfer basis.
Senator Smart
Adeyemi in his speech said he was delighted at the huge progress
recorded in the implementation of the rail project by the Bala Mohammed
Administration principally because the project touches on critical needs
of the ordinary people...
FCTA Secretary of Transportation,
Engr. Jonathan Achara Ivoke, in his welcome address said the Abuja Main
Rail Station is located at the Central Business District (CBD) which
also hosts the Abuja Metro and the National Railway Stations. According
to him, it is the General Transfer Station where passengers would be
transiting from the Abuja Metro Station to the National Line.
- 700,000 PASSENGERS TO RIDE ABUJA LIGHT RAIL DAILY IN 2015
- CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON 12 STATIONS
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