Opening of 12 MRT 7 stations in QC seen by next year

Inquirer photo/Niño Jesus Orbeta

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City portion of Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line-7, consisting of 12 stations, will be operational by the fourth quarter of next year, a Department of Transportation (DOTr) official said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas forum organized by the Presidential Communications Office and Philippine Information Agency, Transport Assistant Secretary for Railways Jorjette Aquino said the Tala Station in Caloocan City will be completed by the year 2026, while the San Jose del Monte Station in Bulacan is expected to be finished by 2027 once alignment issues are resolved.

READ: MRT 7 gets closer to reality

Aquino added that the DOTr was working with the San Jose del Monte City local government for the realignment of routes to better serve its constituents. City officials earlier asked the agency to move the railway’s path away from Quirino Highway, the city’s major thoroughfare, to prevent heavy traffic.

The DOTr is now considering building two stations instead of just one in the city to make the train line more accessible, she said.

As of last month, the overall progress rate of the 22-kilometer MRT 7 was at 69.86 percent. The train line has 14 stations connecting Quezon City to San Jose del Monte, reducing travel time to just 35 minutes.