Light Rail Manila Corp., a consortium led by Ayala Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp., on Thursday broke ground on the P35-billion Light Rail Transit Line 1 Cavite extension project, six years after the project was approved by the National Economic and Development Authority.
LRMC president and chief executive Rogelio Singson said the company expected to complete the project by the middle of 2020, ahead of the 2021 target completion date.
The construction of the LRT Cavite extension project was delayed because of the right-of-way issues.
LRMC won the bidding for the 11.7-kilometer project and took over the operation of LRT Line 1 on Sept. 12, 2015.
“We hope to be able to have revenue line operations by first quarter of 2021,” Singson said.
Singson said the Cavite Extension would serve an additional 300,000 commuters and would significantly reduce travel time from Bacoor, Cavite to Manila from about two hours to 40 minutes.
The 11.7-kilometer Cavite extension will connect into the existing system immediately south of the Baclaran station and run in a generally southerly direction to Niyog, Cavite.
It will consist of elevated guideways throughout most of the alignment, except for the guideway section at Zapote which will be located at grade. It will consist of the satellite depot and new station.
The new stations will be named Aseana, MIA, Asia World, Ninoy Aquino and Dr. Santos Stations in Paranque City, Las Pinas and Zapote Stations in Las Pinas City and Niog Station in Bacoor, Cavite.
LRMC is also undergoing a rail replacement project for the train line’s 33-year-old tracks.
The company’s most recent undertaking is the launch of the new LRT-1 Doroteo Jose station, which is the pilot station under LRMC’s station improvement project.
The project involves structural upgrades and few facilities for the 20 existing LRT-1 stations. The second phase of the project which include United Nations, Gil Puyat, Abad Santos, Pedro Gil and R. Papa stations is set to be unveiled in June 2017, while the whole project is expected to be completed by end of 2017.
