By Babajide Okeowo
The main line of the Lagos-Ibadan railway has commenced trial operations with passengers.
China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation CCECC, the firm that constructed the line disclosed this via its Twitter handle on Thursday.
“We’ve been waiting for this moment! At 8:00 a.m. on December 7, 2020, the mainline of the Lagos-Ibadan railway, the first double-track standard gauge modern railway in West Africa, commenced trial operations with passengers. On the same day, the acceptance process started on the mainline of the railway.
The trial operation was conducted by a China-made Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU), which runs two times a day and opens three stations at the early stage.
The train departed from the Ibadan station in accordance with the scheduled railway operating plan, the trip lasted 2 hours and 40 minutes, ran 156 kilometres, and arrived at Lagos station at 10:40 a.m. The train departed from Lagos station at 16:00 and arrived at Ibadan station at 18:40, successfully completing the first test run with passengers.
At present, the train runs 2 hours and 40 minutes, and the running time between Lagos and Ibadan will be shortened to 2 hours after the official opening” the construction company tweeted.
The company added that the project is now being pushing ahead with the construction of the rest work, and all the personnel are working around-the-clock with high morale towards its official operation in 2021.
The line is the first double-track standard gauge modern railway in West Africa.
