Abaya insists on Trinoma construction of common train station

(Updated 1:29 p.m.) The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) on Tuesday stood by its decision to build the common train station linking the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) at the Trinoma Mall instead of SM North Edsa, saying its construction will be completed faster if it's constructed at the Ayala-owned mall.

 

At the DOTC’s budget briefing before the House appropriations committee, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya disputed the assertion of Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares that building the common train station at the Trinoma Mall will cause more inconvenience for commuters because it will not link the LRT-1, MRT-3 and the planned MRT-7 stations and that it will also cause heavier traffic jams for motorists.

 

Abaya, however, said the Trinoma common station will have less impact on traffic because the Ayala-owned mall is on the side of the road, while SM is located in the middle.

 

“Confident kami na mas madali itayo [ang common station] sa Trinoma kaysa sa SM, at mas mabilis matapos mabilis ang common station sa Trinoma kaysa SM despite the deadline,” he said.

 

DOTC has set a deadline of 24 months for the construction of a common station in Trinoma and 18 months for SM, agency officials said in earlier hearings.

 

Abaya said that the common station's construction time may be shortened and that the 24-month deadline was just for contingency.

 

He said the construction of the Trinoma common station will even be “less obtrusive” to motorists passing along EDSA since the construction period will be shorter even if the government will have to spend for building costs.

 

The private sector, meanwhile, offered to pay for the construction of the common station in SM.

Compromise agreement