Okhiria said in an interview in Lagos that the NRC had started the separation of the road from the rail in Oyingbo and Ebute-Metta. He added that the corporation had already constructed an underground pass and an overhead pass at the Agege level crossing.
"We are going to have 11 flyovers within Lagos, and we cannot do all at the same time. We are constructing them in batches,” he said.
The NRC boss stressed that the barriers earlier constructed were vandalised. He, however, said the commission had started repairing them.
“It is either they hit the barriers with vehicles or people vandalise them overnight,” Mr Okhiria said.
To avoid accidents while passing through level crossings, NRC management had planned to get gatemen to stop vehicles. NRC would also deploy men and technology to alert road users whenever trains approached the level crossings.
Mr Okhiria noted that all over the world, people obeyed simple traffic regulations, but in Nigeria, motorists usually violated traffic signs. He urged motorists to be more careful while passing through level crossings, reminding them that life had no duplicate.
NRC's decision to construct underground passes and overhead bridges at the level crossings is a significant step towards ensuring the safety of road users and train passengers. Accidents resulting from the crossing of vehicles and trains have claimed many lives in the past, and this move will go a long way in preventing such incidents.
It is commendable that the corporation is taking measures to repair the barriers and deploy gatemen and technology to alert road users whenever trains approach the level crossings. This will help in ensuring that motorists comply with traffic regulations and prevent accidents.
However, it is important for road users to also play their part by obeying traffic signs and being more careful while passing through level crossings. It is a collective responsibility to ensure that accidents are reduced to the barest minimum, and every road user must contribute their quota to achieving this.