The Lagos District of the Nigerian Railway Corporation on Sunday reiterated its commitment to evolve a permanent solution to the menace of rooftop riders on its trains.
The NRC’s District Manager, Jerry Oche, disclosed this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.
Oche said the district was not resting on its oars to checkmate rooftop riders in its Mass Transit Train Services.
He said the district had been carrying out intermittent raids as a temporary measure to discouraging the act.
He said: “What we are looking at are temporal and permanent solutions.
“The temporary solution is consistent raiding, but what we are trying to do is redefining how we carry out the raids.
“We currently do the raiding twice weekly, but we are making efforts to increase the frequency, though this may involve huge logistics and personnel.
“The permanent solution is what the NRC management is looking at and I can assure you that in no distance future, there is going to be a change.”
Oche described commuters engaging in the act as those ready to resume moments after discovering that raiding had stopped.
He said: “These set of people have a clique.
“They are drug addicts and some of them have guns.
“They are not normal because their actions are suicidal and who will want to commit suicide because the train is full?
“It is not something we fold our hands about and look at helplessly.
“We are also looking at modifying the routes to discourage passengers from riding on the rooftop of moving trains.
“We have identified some stations as hot-spots for the menace and we are working to discourage them.”
The manager, who noted that the number and condition of coaches were not responsible for rooftop riding, said culprits were determined to constitute a nuisance, even when seats were available for them.
Ache said: “We will be playing the devil’s advocate by saying that the coaches are not enough and that is why passengers climb the rooftop to ride on the trains.
“But, must everybody join the train when it is full?
“If an aircraft is filled up with passengers, even if you have a ticket, will you hang or climb the roof?
“Of course, no one will do that.
“For me, this action is not about the train being full.
“It is a particular set of people involved in this.
“If anyone falls off from a moving train, even if he does not end up between the wheels and the track, such a person is going to be maimed.”
The district manager recalled that a man fell off a moving train two weeks ago and ended up dead, immediately.
“The management is committed to accommodating as many people as possible in its mass transit services, but we won’t tolerate rooftop riding,” Oche said.
He added that the corporation was working hard to commence its e-ticketing, to improve on its services.
NAN.
Trending
- OSUN: NANS seeks intervention from Governor Adeleke, threatens protest over fee hike, palliative
- Easter Celebration: IGP orders round-the-clock water-tight security at all public spaces
- Kogi poll: SDP witness contradicts self on alleged ‘affidavit forgery’ against Governor Ododo
- No BoT in Labour Party, spokesman dismisses takeover claims
- Nigerian writer urges preservation of literary heritage amid writer shortage
- Health professionals brainstorm in Abuja, seek drug free society
- CAF announce dates for Champions League, Confederation Cup Finals
- Tayo Ayinde withdraws suit against Gani Adams, restates commitment to peace