NRC commences construction of flyovers at level crosses to prevent train accidents

By Business AM

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has commenced construction of underground pass and overhead bridges at the 11 level crossings across Lagos State as part of measures  to prevent train  accidents.

Fidet Okhiria,the managing director of the corporation, who made the disclosure  in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday, said the NRC has started the separation of road from the rail in Oyingbo and Ebute-Metta.

Okhiria added that the corporation had constructed an underground pass and an overhead pass at the Agege level crossing.

According to the NRC MD, the corporation  aims to construct 11 flyovers within Lagos, noting that  they are being constructed in batches as they cannot all be constructed at the same time.

He further explained that prior to this time automatic barriers were constructed at level crossings, but were vandalised several times.

“Although we have been repairing them, especially the automatic barriers, they do not last for a week after such repairs. It is either they hit the barriers with vehicles or people vandalise them overnight,” Okhiria said.

Okhiria noted that all over the world, people obeyed simple traffic regulations, but in Nigeria motorists usually violated traffic signs.

He, therefore,urged motorists to be more careful while passing through level crossings, reminding them that life had no duplicate.

To ensure better operations, he said the NRC would deploy men and technology to alert road users whenever trains approached the level crossings.

The development is coming about five days after a tragic accident where a Lagos state government owned staff bus with registration no 04A- 48LA was crushed by a moving passenger train at PWD,Ikeja area of Lagos.

According to source from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), no fewer than six persons died, while about 102 others were reportedly injured.