Light Rail Manila Corp., a consortium led by Ayala Corp and Metro Pacific Investments Corp., is optimistic the auction for the supply of new light rail vehicles of the LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension will be competed by November this year.
“We are happy with the outcome, at least its not a failed bidding. Based on the timeline it looks like they will be able to meet the November 14 procurement,” LRMC president and chief executive Rogelio Singson said.
“I think there should be enough time… we are happy with the progress it’s a matter of DOTr agreeing with the final evaluation of the financial and technical proposals,” he added.
The Department of Transportation is evaluating the technical and financial proposals of Marubeni Corp and Mitsubishi Corp. for the P30-billion contract to supply 120 brand-new light rail vehicles for the oldest metro rail transit in Southeast Asia.
The winning bid will cover the coaches, design, production, verification, delivery, testing, commissioning, technical support materials associated with the operation and maintenance of the vehicles and training for maintenance staff, engineers and operators.
The 120 LRVs will be configured into 30 four-car train sets to allow the rail line to accommodate up to 750,000 passengers daily.
Transportation in March last year declared the bidding for 120 LRVs a failure after no offers were received by the agency from Japanese companies.
Marubeni and Sumitomo earlier expressed interest to participate in the auction for the procurement of 120 brand-new cars for LRT Line 1.
The government allocated P30 billion for the 120 new coaches of the LRT Line 1 under the P64.9-billion LRT Line 1 Cavite extension project, which was awarded to Light Rail Manila Corp.
LRMC will construct the Cavite extension over the next four and a half years, making the entire line operational by the fourth quarter of 2020.
LRMC, a joint venture between Ayala and Metro Pacific, has been operating and maintaining the LRT-1 system since the functions were handed over by the Light Rail Transit Authority in September 2016.
LRTA remains the regulator of the railway while Transportation is the implementing agency of the 32-year public-private partnership concession agreement with LRMC.
The consortium would spend over P40 billion to rehabilitate and expand LRT Line 1.
Eight new stations will be provided with three intermodal facilities across Pasay City, Parañaque City, Las Piñas City and Cavite.