My smooth-drive experience in the FCT
The project is a demonstration of the government’s determination to reduce the nasty experience of commuters in Capital Territory; the desire is not just geared towards the construction of roads in the FCT but also in the satellite towns and the area councils. In order to achieve this desired goal, the minister has set a […]
The project is a demonstration of the government’s determination to reduce the nasty experience of commuters in Capital Territory; the desire is not just geared towards the construction of roads in the FCT but also in the satellite towns and the area councils. In order to achieve this desired goal, the minister has set a mechanism in place to rapidly decongest the city centre thus spreading the population of residents across the 8,000 sq. kilometres of the territory.
Another significant road being constructed and which is expected to be commissioned before the next rainy season, starts at Dutsen-Alhaji at the intersection with the Kubwa-Zuba City Centre 10-lane expressway cutting through Lower Usuma Dam, Bwari and passing through Jere and then busting out on the Keffi-Nyanya Expressway. The road is expected to decongest traffic in the North-East Axis with vehicles coming from Nasarawa, Plateau, Borno, Bauchi, Adamawa, Taraba and Benue having a choice to divert and veer off the City Center if they are going to Kaduna, Niger, Kogi and some Southern States.
Another key diversion which is simultaneously being constructed, starts from New Karu in Nasarawa State and passes near Karshi before cutting behind Asokoro District to link Kuje and Gwagwalada along the Lokoja-Abuja highway. When completed within the next one year, this vital road would make it possible for motorists to bypass the Abuja City centre, Airport Road and even Gwagwalada town thereby making it more convenient for travellers going to the South East, South West and some North Central States by avoiding the traffic grid that the residents currently experience on the ever busy Abuja- Airport-Giri-Gwagwalada road. This is just a tip of the iceberg with regards to road construction in the FCT, as several other roads are being constructed in the current FCT.
The FCT administration had explored another method of reducing the traffic gridlock faced by commuters and in the bid of minimizing the influx of vehicles on the roads; he had shown his dissatisfaction with the existing mono-modal form of transportation accordingly moving to expand and adopt a multi-modal approach of transportation, where a lot of importance is now being put on the rail transportation system.
The first track of the Abuja rail transport line starts from Dei-Dei, connecting some other areas and then passing through Life-Camp to the City Centre. Consequently, when the project is completed, all the people residing in that axis starting from Suleja, Kubwa and Dei-Dei will witness the park and ride system; whereby those of them who wish to will park their vehicles at the train station, board a train and within 10 minutes, they will be ferried into the City Centre via train at a very minimal cost.
If this type of system is replicated at all the entry points of the FCT, then it will have the multiplier effect of reducing the influx of vehicles into the City Center, as most motorists will prefer to use the rail system into the city at a cost-effective rate rather than use their personal vehicles and face the possibility of paying for parking space and all other sundry charges. We citizens certainly doff our hats in recognition of this most welcome bid to reducing the gridlock on our roads.
Awwalu Ibro, a civil servant, wrote in from the FCT