Right-of-way issues for phase 1 of LRT1 Cavite extension 70-80% completed —LRMC

Construction works for the first phase of the P64-billion Light Rail Transit Line (LRT1) extension to Bacoor, Cavite, will commence later this year as right-of-way issues were substantially addressed, private sector operator Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) said Tuesday.

LRMC president and CEO Juan Alfonso told reporters in a press conference in Pasay City that righ-of-way for the phase 1 or "package 1" — Redemptorist, MIA, Asiaworld, Ninoy Aquino, and Dr. Santos — is around "70 to 80 percent completed."

"We feel that the right of way is complete or is at a stage where we can start... our target is toward the later part of this year to build from Dr. Santos towards Redemptorist... it's at a stage where we can start moving," Alfonso said.

The LRMC chief said the right-of-way for the phase 1 is in the process of getting certified by an independent consultant.

"Aside from the right-of-way, we have to take care of relocating the utilities... we have Meralco poles or Maynilad pipes or NGCP lines which have to be relocated," Alfonso said.

In May 2017, LRMC and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) broke ground for the LRT1 Cavite extension project.

In February, LRMC said it has signed an engineering, procurement, construction contract with French contractor Bouyges Travaux Publics for the “detailed design phase” of the project.

The LRT1 Cavite extension project shall connect to the existing Baclaran Station to eight new stations namely Redemptorist, NAIA Avenue, Asia World, Ninoy Aquino, Dr. Santos, Las Pinas, Zapote, and Niog.

The Cavite extension, totaling 11.7km in length, shall consist of elevated guideways throughout the majority of the alignment. The only at grade guideway section shall be located at Zapote, consisting of the Satellite Depot and New Station.

According to the LRMC chief, the project can save passengers around three hours of travel time per day, "which means being able to sleep longer and having more time to spend with the family."

"You don't have to wake up at 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. to be in Manila for work because you know the train will be there every three and a half minutes or so and that travel time is very predictable, is traffic-free," Alfonso said.

Land travel time from Baclaran to Bacoor can be reduced to only 30 minutes from the current one and a half hours a day, during rush hour on the average, he said.

“From Baclaran to Sucat, it will be only 15 minutes; Baclaran to Zapote, 20 minutes," he added.

To be completed in the last quarter of 2021, the extension is expected to accommodate 410,000 passengers a day in its opening year.

LRMC is a joint venture company of Metro Pacific Investments Corp.'s Metro Pacific Light Rail Corporation, Ayala Corp.’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., and the Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure’s Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) PTE Ltd., which took over the management and operations of LRT1 in September 2015. —KBK, GMA News