LRT2 East Extension to commence ops on April 27

The two additional stations that extended the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT2) further to Rizal province will commence operations in the latter part of April this year.

In a statement on Thursday, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said that the LRT2 East Extension project will begin to serve commuters on April 27, 2021.

It said that the two new stations – the Marikina Station (in front of the Sta. Lucia mall and Robinsons) and the Antipolo Station (in front of SM Masinag) – will have a soft opening on April 26, 2021, and will immediately start operations the next day.

As of January 31, 2021, the LRT2 East Extension project is already 93.42% complete.

“In less than two months po, mag-ooperate na po ‘yung ating dalawang bagong istasyon,” Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) spokesperson Hernando Cabrera said.

The two new stations will serve commuters from Recto, Manila going to Masinag, Antipolo, and back.

Travel time from Recto to Masinag will be reduced to around 40 minutes from the usual three hours via bus or jeepneys.

Once completed, the P2.27-billion LRT2 East Extension can accommodate an additional 80,000 passengers daily, boosting the entire rail line’s current daily ridership to 240,000 passengers.

Cabrera said that the Package 1 of the project, which involves the construction of the eastbound and westbound viaducts, has been finished.

The Package 2, which involves the design and construction of stations, is also substantially complete.

Meanwhile, works are ongoing for the Package 3, which covers the project's electro-mechanical system, rails, power supply, telecommunications, and signaling system.

Cabrera said that the rail line’s electro-mechanical works are being fast-tracked to meet the target date of the project’s April 2021 inauguration.

“Ongoing po ngayon ‘yan at pina-fast track na po natin ‘yung trabaho natin diyan para matupad po natin ‘yung target na April 26 inauguration,” he said.—AOL, GMA News