Published 6th Sep, 2023

By Tarinipre Francis

The Lagos State Blue Line Rail is no doubt poised to bring ease of mobility to commuters in the Mile 2-Marina axis of the state, but if the state government fails to provide security and street lights under the Marina-Eko bridge, the rail line risks underutilisation during its late evening and nighttime trips.

The rail line commenced operations on Monday with four trains traversing its five stations at Marina, National Theatre, Iganmu, Alaba and Mile 2 during peak morning and evening hours.

Train arriving Mile 2 terminal from the Marina train station

Until departure from the Marina Terminal, commuters echoed only praise for the Blue Line Rail. The passengers saw in real time how it improved their lives as they enjoyed a hassle-free ride to their destinations with the luxury of accurately predicting exactly when they would arrive at their destination while they saw vehicles stuck in traffic.

They took photos, recorded videos, called loved ones on video calls to share their journey and spoke to each other enthusiastically about the potential of the rail line like old-time friends. The terminals and train increasingly felt like tourist destinations as more commuters boarded.

Passengers waiting to board a train at the Marina train terminal

“I am on a train. Yes, a train. We are going from Marina to Mile 2,” one passenger said loudly over a video call.

“Blue Line! Blue Line Rail!” another passenger, a woman, repeatedly yelled into her phone as she excitedly shared that she was on the train ride within the state’s metropolis via a video call.

The excitement was palpable among both commuters and staff. Commuters were eager to try their first train ride on the Blue Line Rail while staff attended to passengers with utmost courtesy and delight. The facilities were impressive and functional, as new facilities are wont to be. There were multiple exits, escalators, elevators, and staircases through which people could access the terminal. There were also ramps at the stations and a free internet connection, although it wasn’t activated at the inaugural ride on Monday. Many passengers were impressed with the ease with which they got around. There was only one prevailing concern, and it was the fear of a future occurrence: that a lack of maintenance might kill the facility, as is the case with several public infrastructure projects.

A few hours later, however, that became the least of their concerns, as passengers who boarded the 7 pm to 7:30 pm trip from Mile 2 to Marina soon confronted a more present concern: the absence of security or lights under the Marina-Eko Bridge, through which they connected from the Marina train station to the bus park.

It was dark, devoid of security, and the pavement directly under the bridge was still in the works; interlocking blocks were stacked in the middle, and, cojoined with the darkness, it is safe to say it was a trap which passersby stumbled upon.

No one agreed to use their phones as torchlights because they were scared of being mugged; everyone moved in darkness, occasionally stumbling on stacked interlocking blocks, until they finally approached a mildly lit area with traders packing up their goods under the bridge.

For many, the experience under the bridge almost ruined a much-relished adventure on the Blue Line Rail.

The woman who had ecstatically exclaimed “Blue Line Rail!” over a video call during the ride suddenly forgot the comfort and thrill she experienced after she tripped over a stack of interlocking blocks while hurriedly trying to make her way from the train station to the bus stop.

“I cannot use this train at night if they don’t put lights here (under Marina-Eko Bridge). No security,” she lamented as I helped her up.

Another man, who also alighted from the 7 pm to 7:30 pm Mile 2 to Marina trip, told FIJ that he would no longer be taking the trip late in the evenings because passengers were exposed to security threats under the bridge.

“I just bought a new phone after they snatched it from me two weeks ago. I cannot use it as a torchlight before they snatch it again. I am not following the train in the evening again,” he said.

What was formerly considered an enriching experience ultimately became a teaching experience for passengers, some of whom have now decided to boycott late-evening trips on the rail line.

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