Groundbreaking for LRT-MRT common station set on Sept. 29

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has scheduled the groundbreaking for the common station linking Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) with Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Lines 3 and 7 this month.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the groundbreaking would be held on Sept. 29, months after the DOTr and the private sector agreed on its location.

The common station is estimated to cost P2.8 billion.

Tugade said a joint manifestation has been filed before the Supreme Court to address the temporary restraining order (TRO) obtained by SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SMPHI) from the SC on the common station.

Last January, a memorandum of agreement was signed by Tugade, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar and Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) administrator Reynaldo Berroya with SMPHI, LRT-1 operator Light Rail Manila Corp., San Miguel Corp., which is building MRT-7, and North Triangle Depot Commercial Corp., to end the deadlock spanning nearly eight years for the common station.

The common station covers 13,700 square meters and will be located between SM North EDSA and Trinoma mall in Quezon City.

It will link the LRT-1, which runs from Roosevelt station in Quezon City to Baclaran station in Parañaque, the MRT-3 running from North Avenue station in Quezon City to Taft Avenue station in Pasay, and the MRT-7 currently being built from North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte in Bulacan.

The common station is expected to provide passengers comfort in transferring from one railway to another.

The DOTr said the common station is expected to be completed by April 2019.

Construction of the common station has been put on hold due to legal issues.

In 2014, the SMPHI obtained a TRO from the high court to prevent the then  Department of Transportation and Communications from transferring the common station near Trinoma.

The SMPHI had entered into an agreement with the LRTA in 2009 to put up the common station in front of SM North EDSA.