Tugade inspects LRT-2 extension in Antipolo, Marikina; trips start June 22

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade. INQUIRER.net file photo / Ryan Leagogo

MANILA, Philippines — The Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2) extension up to Marikina and Antipolo would finally start operating by June 22, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said as he inspected the projects on Thursday.

Tugade made the assurance as the final touches on the two new LRT-2 stations are being undertaken prior to its full operations a month from now.

According to the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the two stations — Marikina Station located along Marcos Highway corner Imelda Avenue, and Antipolo Station which sits along Marcos Highway’s Masinag area — would give access to 80,000 more commuters per day.

“June 22 tatakbo na ang tren dito sa Antipolo at Marikina, dugtong sa LRT-2 Extension. Matagal na ‘hong inaantay yan ng ating mga kababayan. Ngayon nakita ko na matutuloy na at magiging operational ang ating tren,” Tugade said during his inspection.

(On June 22, the train would run to and from Antipolo and Marikina, linked to the LRT-2 extension.  The people have been waiting for so long for this project, now we can see that the project would continue and eventually be operational.)

DOTr said in a post on its Facebook page that Tugade and other DOTr officials, including LRT-2 Administrator Reynaldo Berroya, Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan, went to the Antipolo Station first, aboard a standard LRT-2 train.

The group then went to the other station in Marikina.

“Oras na magsimula ang operasyon, nasa 40 minuto na lang ang inaasahan biyahe mula Recto hanggang Antipolo, kumpara sa dating tatlong-oras (3 hours) na biyahe nito sakay ng bus at jeepney,” DOTr said.

(By the time that operation would start, expected travel time between Recto up to Antipolo would only be around 40 minutes from the previous three-hour trip via buses and jeepneys.)

LRT-2 is Metro Manila’s rail system that cuts across various cities from the west side to the east, starting from Claro M. Recto Avenue and Rizal Avenue in Manila plying along Magsaysay Boulevard and Aurora Boulevard, toward Santolan in Pasig City.

Construction of the extension project that would link Antipolo to Pasig started June 2015 during the past administration.  However, the launching of the extension project has been delayed from its projected opening in 2017, due to various issues including problems and accidents along the line.

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JPV