French consultants arriving this week for feasibility study on cable car system —DOTr

French consultants are expected to arrive in the Philippines this the week to advance the feasibility study on the proposed cable car system in the country, which includes a line from Marikina to Pasig, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Wednesday.

The visit is part of a grant for feasibility study from France on establishing a cable car transport system, DOTr spokesperson Goddes Libiran said.

“Consultants doing the feasibility study will arrive this week,” she said in a mobile message. She did not elaborate.

In November 2018, the French government approved a €450,000 grant for a feasibility study regarding a cable car system in the Philippines. The study will be conducted by consultancy companies MDP Consulting and Systra.

Before the Duterte administration assumed office in June 2016, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said there were exploratory talks with a company that makes cable cars for Bolivia.

The study will be completed in three stages in 10 months:

1. Identify potential cable car corridors
2. Compare potential corridors and selection of the best cable car alignment
3. Determine if the project is technically, financially, and economically feasible

“The alignment under the full feasibility study is Light Rail Transit Line 2 Santolan Station to Ortigas Avenue, using the Marikina River alignment,” Libiran noted.

The local government unit of Baguio City said it has been approached by the DOTr on the possibility of putting up a cable car system from La Union to Baguio.

Libiran said the government will have to check with the consultants on when the study will be completed.

“We will confirm with our consultants once they arrive. We do not want to preempt at this point the completion of the feasibility study,” she said. —VDS, GMA News