The Federal Government has expressed optimism to still commence the introduction of the e-ticketing platform on the Lagos-Ibadan train route before the end of March.

Mr. Fidet Okhiria, the Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the processes required for the commencement were already at an advanced stage.

”We have gone to an advanced stage; last Friday, the final negotiation with the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and the team selected went successfully.

”By next week, the ICRC will take it up to the next stage but we are still targeting the end of March,” he said.

While reiterating the importance of the platform, Okhiria said it would reduce human contact, thus resolving the issue of tickets racketeering.

NAN reports that the e-ticketing had already commenced and is still operational on the Abuja-Kaduna railway axis.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, said the National Transport Policy would go to the cabinet in April.

”It is in the office of the vice-president, I was with them last week, we were proposing that if they conclude from the office of the vice-president, we should be able to go to the cabinet before the end of April,” he said.

On vandalism of the rail track, the minister explained that people went about stealing the clips on the track and even some parts of the narrow gauge.

”What NRC does is that they go through it before the train begins to run to fix back clips. It is costing the government a lot, but as we install the security gadget, I think that will reduce.”