Tugade: Common station operability pushed back to Q4 2021

The partial operability of the common station linking at least four rail lines in Metro Manila has been pushed back to the fourth quarter of 2021, a year later than the Department of Transportation (DOTr) earlier targeted.

In his presentation during the Sulong Pilipinas Forum 2021, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade noted the conflict between operators regarding the common station had been addressed prior to the construction, but did not elaborate on the reason for the change in the timeline.

"This was a project that has been delayed for nine years. This will finally partially operable by the fourth quarter of 2021," he said.

Tugade in February 2019 said the common station was targeted to be operational by the end of 2020.

"I will fight you and I will throw the books at you if you don't finish it within the quality and time we have envisioned it to be," he told one of the private proponents of the project then.

The common station connects the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT1), the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3), the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT7) currently under construction, and the planned Mega Manila Subway.

The project is covered by three areas, with area A involving the construction of a two-story building a bridge over EDSA. This will connect the LRT1 and MRT3.

Area B is the general concourse area similar to the Grand Central Station in New York, while Area C will link the MRT7.

In April 2020, the government said its "Build, Build, Build" program is still on track despite the disruption brought about by the community quarantines designed to curb the spread of COVID-19. — RSJ, GMA News