Light Rail Manila Consortium, led by Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and Ayala Corp., has expressed interest to join the auction for the P64-billion LRT Line 1 extension to Dasmariñas from Bacoor, Cavite.
LRMC, which earlier won the contract to build the 11.7-kilometer LRT Line 1 extension from Baclaran in Paranaque City to Bacoor, Cavite, would also bid for the system’s 19-kilometer extension to Dasmariñas City, according to its top executive.
“Of course, we will be interested. We are following that project,” LRMC president and chief executive Jesus Francisco said, referring to the system’s 19-kilometer extension to Dasmariñas City.
The new project, called LRT Line 6, is a 19-kilometer railway from Niyog, Bacoor, the terminus of the P64.9-billion LRT 1 Cavite extension, to Dasmariñas City.
The proposed LRT Line 6 would have seven stations, including Niyog, Tirona, Imus, Daang Hari, Salitran, Congressional Avenue and Governor’s Drive.
The joint venture of Ayala and MPIC earlier won the P64.9-billion LRT Line 1 Cavite extension project.
MPIC, through Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp., owns 55 percent of LRMC, while AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp. of Ayala Corp. holds a 35-percent stake. Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Inc. has the remaining 10 percent.
Under the concession, LRMC will assume the operations and maintenance of the existing 20-kilometer LRT Line 1, and construct the 11.7-kilometer extension of the rail line southward from the Baclaran station all the way to Bacoor, Cavite.
The consortium will build eight new stations after Baclaran. These will include Aseana, MIA, Asia World, Ninoy Aquino, Dr. Santos, Las Piñas, Zapote and Niyog.
The project will increase the length of LRT 1 from 20.7 km. to 32.4 km., and provide commuters from Cavite and other parts of Parañaque and Las Piñas access to central Manila.
The government will acquire the right-of-way for the project, the satellite depot, and procure 120 light rail vehicles that will be financed through a grant from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
LRMC will invest P35 billion in the project.