DENR-7 asked to release BRT route technical data

CEBU, Philippines - A surveying firm has asked the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Office for the immediate release of the technical description data of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit route.

LGMaratas Surveying and Engineering Services was commissioned by Seoul-based Kunhwa Engineering and Consulting Company to conduct a parcellary survey plan for the P10.6 billion project.

Leo Maratas, general manager of LGMaratas Surveying and Engineering Services, wrote to DENR-7 director Isabelo Montejo asking him to prioritize the issuance of the 16-kilometer BRT route from Barangay Bulacao to Barangay Talamban.

He said the survey plans are needed to commence the works. The data will also form part of the BRT detailed engineering design, which will be undertaken by Kunhwa.

The Department of Transportation and Communications recently awarded the contracts for the detailed engineering design and construction supervision to the Korean company.

Eddie Llamedo, DENR-7 spokesperson, assured to provide the pertinent data to LGMaratas.

The technical data, he said, includes the description of the BRT route; titled lots and their corresponding lot numbers; and the meters and bounds comprising the physical features of the local geography along with directions and distances to define and describe the boundaries of a parcel of land.

He said these are needed to determine how many meters are needed for the BRT track and the structures it will affect along the way, as well as the cost estimates for road right-of-way acquisition, among others.

The parcellary surveys and preparation of parcellary plans, together with the cost of RROW acquisition based on parcellary plans, shall be estimated and included in the total construction cost of the BRT project.

The result of the parcellary survey plan would still be validated by the DOTC and city government, among others. — (FREEMAN)