THE TRANSPORTATION agency looks to bid out the P1.4-billion Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) North Extension Project, otherwise known as the Common Station, in the first semester of next year (2015), a government official said.
"For common station, the target is for us to bid it out in the first half and to award and start the construction in the second half," Michael Arthur C. Sagcal, Transportation department spokesperson, told BusinessWorld in a text message.
The common hub will link three mass railway systems in Metro Manila: LRT-1, Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) and the proposed MRT-7. The deal was approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board last November.
Transportation Undersecretary Jose Perpetuo M. Lotilla said in an earlier interview that, before the year ends, the agency will release a directive on which mall at the intersection of North and Epifanio Delos Santos Avenues -- Ayala-owned TriNoma or Sy-owned SM City North EDSA Annex -- will be the common station’s hub.
For his part, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio A. Abaya has repeatedly said that the department is leaning towards TriNoma due to the lower construction cost, less potential for urban blight and faster construction of a turn-back railway system.
SM Prime Holdings, Inc. has already made a P200-million down payment to the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) for the naming rights of the common stations. However, Mr. Abaya has said that the government is willing to return the payment.
The common hub project also involves the construction of head-to-head platforms for LRT-1 and MRT-3 with a 147.4-meter elevated walkalator to the planned MRT-7 on North Avenue.
The MRT-7 project will entail the construction of 14 train stations, from San Jose del Monte in Bulacan to North Avenue in Quezon City. It also received NEDA Board approval in November.
The government is poised to award the P62.7-billion MRT-7 deal to San Miguel Corp. once the firm reaches financial closure.
At present, LRT-1 runs from Baclaran to Roosevelt Avenue in Quezon City, while the MRT-3 runs from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City. -- Lorenz Christoffer S. Marasigan
The common hub will link three mass railway systems in Metro Manila: LRT-1, Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) and the proposed MRT-7. The deal was approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board last November.
Transportation Undersecretary Jose Perpetuo M. Lotilla said in an earlier interview that, before the year ends, the agency will release a directive on which mall at the intersection of North and Epifanio Delos Santos Avenues -- Ayala-owned TriNoma or Sy-owned SM City North EDSA Annex -- will be the common station’s hub.
For his part, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio A. Abaya has repeatedly said that the department is leaning towards TriNoma due to the lower construction cost, less potential for urban blight and faster construction of a turn-back railway system.
SM Prime Holdings, Inc. has already made a P200-million down payment to the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) for the naming rights of the common stations. However, Mr. Abaya has said that the government is willing to return the payment.
The common hub project also involves the construction of head-to-head platforms for LRT-1 and MRT-3 with a 147.4-meter elevated walkalator to the planned MRT-7 on North Avenue.
The MRT-7 project will entail the construction of 14 train stations, from San Jose del Monte in Bulacan to North Avenue in Quezon City. It also received NEDA Board approval in November.
The government is poised to award the P62.7-billion MRT-7 deal to San Miguel Corp. once the firm reaches financial closure.
At present, LRT-1 runs from Baclaran to Roosevelt Avenue in Quezon City, while the MRT-3 runs from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City. -- Lorenz Christoffer S. Marasigan
No comments:
Post a Comment