MRT (left) and LRT. INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS
After being stalled for eight years, the common station that would link three of the metro’s rail systems will finally be constructed in December this year.
This comes after the Department of Transportation (DOTr) led Wednesday morning the signing of the memorandum of agreement that would pave the way for the construction of the P2.8-billion common station.
The signing was attended in by officials of DOTr, Department of Public Works and Highways, SM Prime Holdings Inc., Universal LRT Corp. Ltd. of San Miguel Corp., Light Rail Manila Corp., North Triangle Depot Commercial Corp. and Light Rail Transit Authority.
The project was initially slated to be constructed in 2009 near SM North Edsa but faced legal issues with its location. In 2014, the station was supposed to be built by the then Department of Transportation and Communications but was halted by the Supreme Court following SM Prime Holdings contest of the new location, near Ayala’s Trinoma Mall.
In September last year, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade gathered the stakeholders of the common station to end the impasse by signing a term sheet which set forth that the structure will be built between SM and Trinoma in Quezon City.
The common station would link the Metro Rail Transit 3, Light Rail Transit 1 and the soon-to-rise MRT-7. The structure’s total area is almost double than the 2009 plan, at 13,700 square meters.
The project is expected to be completed by April 2019, ensuring commuters a seamless transfer between the train stations. CBB