The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Thursday broke ground for the construction of a P16.9-billion depot in Calamba City, Laguna for the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the ground-breaking for the NSCR Banlic Depot signals the rapid progress of the project a year after its land development and other preparatory works were threshed out in 2023.
“We mark the significant progress since June last year in land development and other preparatory works such as geotechnical investigation, fencing, clearing, erecting temporary project site offices and access roads,” Bautista said.
The depot covers an area of 24.5 hectares and consists of construction works for the CP-S07, including a control center, stabling yard, maintenance shop and other ancillary buildings.
The project is expected to be completed by 2028.
“For residents of Banlic and adjacent communities, the NSCR will not only enhance connectivity, but also transform their socio-economic status by providing rapid mobility for people and goods,” Bautista said.
“I do not have to impress the promised benefits of this and other rail system in terms of convenience, comfort and speed of travel for passengers,” he said.
Co-financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the 147-kilometer NSCR System will connect Metro Manila, Pampanga, Bulacan and Laguna.
Once operational, it will reduce travel time from Clark, Pampanga to Calamba by less than two hours and accommodate 800,000 passengers daily.
Bautista urged the contractors of NSCR to ensure that safety of workers are guaranteed at the construction sites throughout the implementation of the project.
“We give special attention to how our contractors prioritize safety throughout project implementation,” Bautista said.
“I therefore urge our contractors – the joint venture of Hyundai Engineering and Dong-Ah Geological Engineering, as well as other contractors building the various segments of the NSCR, to always focus on safety throughout the construction sites,” he said.
Bautista said workers’ safety should be paramount in any construction project. “I would prefer a delayed project, but with no record of accident at the workplace. Of course, on-time completion with no accident is better,” he said.
