Abaya: 2 common stations linking MRT-7 with LRT-1, MRT-3 now in design stages

The construction of two common stations that will connect the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 to the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT) and MRT Line 3 can go on as planned as the concessionaires have already agreed to proceed, Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said.

 

"As of now, ang feedback naman po sa akin, malapit na po kaming matapos, mukhang wala na pong immovable object sa diskusyon, mukhang magkaka-agreehan na po sila," Abaya told the Senate committee on public services on Monday.

 

"Nandoon po kami sa proseso ng pagfafinalize ng design na agree po yung dalawa (LRMC and ULC)," he added. 

 

The firms involved in the agreement are Light Rail Manila Consortium, which bagged the P65-billion LRT-1 Cavite extension project, and San Miguel Corp.-owned Universal LRT Corp. (ULC), which holds the concession for the P63-billion MRT-7.

 

The LRMC is a partnership between Metro Pacific Investments Corporation and Ayala Corporation.

 

"Bahagi ng concession agreement with ULC, may nirerequire pong common station between MRT-3 and MRT-7. Pero ang nirerecognize po nila ay sa LRT-1," Abaya said.

 

"Kaya ang proposition po nila ay magtayo ng isa pang common station, sa tapat ng SM North Edsa, at may disenyo po silang ipinakita sakin," he added.

 

As part of its agreement with ULC, the government will not release any cash for the development of the proposed common station, the Cabinet secretary said.

 

"Fortunately, dahil sa kontratang nire-recognize nila, meron din po silang obligasyon na mag-construct, at ang kalalabasan po nito ay makakapagtayo ng isa pang stasyon, which is maganda sa ating mga pasahero," Abaya said.

 

The common station was originally supposed to be in front of SM North EDSA but the common station was relocated after a study showed government can save from P800 million to P1 billion if the station is built close to Trinoma, an adjacent mall owned by competitor Ayala Land Inc.

 

SM Prime asked the Supreme Court to stop the transfer of the common station, and the court issued a temporary restraining order against it on Aug. 1, 2014.

 

The important thing in building two common stations is that all parties agree, Abaya said. — JDS, GMA News