Owners of over 70 properties whose buildings and structures were affected by the on-going N30 billion Mile 12-Ikorodu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) extension project have submitted various compensation claims to the managers of the project, the Lagos Municipal Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).
The road project, which has the financial support of the World Bank and French foreign development agency, Agence France Development (AFD), is expected to extend the BRT service from Mile 12 to Ikorodu and improve mobility along the 13.5-kilometre Ikorodu road corridor by providing a high quality, low cost, environmentally-friendly public transportation system.
Designed as a median–running BRT with bilateral bus station configurations linked to pedestrian bridges for access, the project, which is expected to be completed by December 2014, will extend to the currently-running BRT network to cover a distance of approximately 36 kilometres from Ikorodu down to CMS in Lagos Island.
The claims arising from the three lots for the construction of additional lanes, bridges and culverts on the corridor are currently being scrutinised by the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development which have responsibility for the delivery of the right-of-way.
Also, the challenging issues of flooding raised by the autonomous wetland communities along the corridor under the aegis of Lagos Wetland Community are being addressed by the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment (Office of Drainage Services), LAMATA and the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The Director of Special Project, Office of Drainage Services, LAMATA, Engineer (Mrs.) O.A. Akinkunmi, disclosed these during a recent joint visit to the project site by officials of Lagos State Ministry of the Environment (Office of Drainage Services), LAMATA and members of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Work and Infrastructure.
Akinkunmi, who stressed the need to safeguard and protect the environment, said her office would work together with all the relevant agencies to resolve all the issues arising from the project.
In his remarks , the Chairman, House Committee on Works and Infrastructure, Hon. Rotimi Olowo, promised to help follow through appropriation to overcome all the challenges.
He also assured that the Lagos State Government would do everything possible to safeguard the interest of the people.
He however described as unacceptable the practice of erecting structures illegally, especially on water path, saying the Ministry of the Environment, Office of Drainage Services, would take a holistic view of the situation and come up with a lasting solution that would safeguard all the communities along the wetland areas.
Meanwhile, the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Salaudeen Oyefusi, has endorsed the project and commended the state government for the bold move to extend the BRT to Ikorodu.
While rallying support for the project, the monarch said the Babatunde Fashola-led administration will go down in history as a government that implements pro-people projects in the state.
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