DM Consunji to build 1st subway project

MANILA, Philippines — Consunji-owned contractor D.M. Consunji Inc. (DMCI) is set to build its first subway project, together with Japan’s Nishimatsu Construction Co. Ltd. (NCC).

The joint venture received the notice of award for the project, which comprises the construction of the Metro Manila Subway Project’s Quezon Avenue and East Avenue underground stations and tunnels, said DMCI president and CEO Jorge Consunji.

The scope of work for the contract includes design, supply, installation, construction, testing, commissioning and training.

“We are very excited to be part of this historic project. Once completed, the subway will help address urban mobility issues in our nation’s capital,” Consunji said.

The project, which will take around 67 months to complete, subject to concurrence by JICA and compliance with the documentary requirements, as provided under the April 2012 guidelines for procurement under Japanese official development assistance loans.

It will span 33.1 kilometers, running from Valenzuela City to Bicutan in Taguig, with 17 stations and a fleet of eight-car train sets that can accommodate as many as 2,242 passengers each. Trains will operate at 80 km per hour, with a maximum speed of 120 km per hour.

Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista called the project the “crown jewel” of the country’s mass transport system. The subway will be connected to the country’s already existing and planned railway network, he said.

The government said 19 other tunnel boring machines have already been set up and will be launched by the end of this year.

The project is seen to be fully operational by 2028, accommodating up to 519,000 passengers daily.

As of June 30, DMCI had an order book of P43.7 billion, which was mostly from other joint venture projects and building contracts.

Nishimatsu Construction is the leading tunnel contractor in Japan, having worked on more than 1,000 tunnels.

Its portfolio includes Singapore’s National Library Board Building, London’s Channel Tunnel Rail Link, Hong Kong’s Lap Kok Airport.

Another contractor of the subway is the Tokyu Tobishima Megawide Joint Venture, which will construct two underground stations – Ortigas and Shaw Boulevard Stations – and tunnels.