FG, Ogun to remove illegal structures along railway corridors

A committee comprising officials of the Federal and Ogun State Governments has been constituted to create a developmental plan for the Lagos/Ibadan railway corridors and also forestall illegal activities which may pose threats to commuters and rail services.

This was disclosed in a statement by the Ogun State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Tunji Odunlami and officials of the Nigerian Railway Corporation in Lagos, adding that the move was in anticipation of the tendency for people to build slums or shanties along the corridors of rail stations located within the state.

According to Odunlami, five out of 10 train stations along Lagos/Ibadan railway stations were domiciled in Ogun State, adding that there was need for the state to take bold steps towards preventing illegal development of structures.

“The train station is more viable for business and investment opportunities mostly for real estate developers. That is why we need to have a proper plan for the rail stations, so that we can ensure development around these corridors which the federal and state government will be proud of in future”, he added.

The commissioner solicited for cooperation from the NRC to avert haphazard development along the passageways so as to prevent the vandalisation of public assets.

The Ogun State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Gbenga Dairo, said official operation of the rail system had impacted greatly on the socioeconomic activities of the state and pledged the government’s support for the project to benefit the public.