DOTr: Mindanao Railway construction to start in Q2 2022

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is looking to start construction of the 100-kilometer Tagum-Davao-Digos Segment of the Mindanao Railway Project in the second quarter of 2022.

Citing the agency’s indicative timeline, Transportation Assistant Secretary Eydmard Eje said the detailed engineering design for the Tagum-Davao-Digos Segment of the railway project is slated from the first quarter of 2022 to the third quarter of 2022.

“Right-of-way acquisitions and clearing by the fourth quarter of 2021 [while] the procurement stage from the fourth of 2021 to the first quarter of 2022,” Eje said during the ceremonial signing of the Project Management Consultant Contract for the Mindanao Railway’s Tagum-Davao-Digos Segment on Wednesday.

The contract was awarded to the consortium of China Railway Design Corp. and Guangzhou Wanan Construction Supervision Co. Ltd.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and China Railway Design Corp. representative Weidong Guo led the signing of the said contract.

Eje said as project management consultant for the first phase of the project, the Chinese consortium would assist the Mindanao Railway Project Management Office (PMO) in the preparation and management of the overall project implementation program.

“This also includes land acquisition activities, coordination with various government agencies, having authorities or associated with the design and works in the project; prepare and submit to the PMO cost estimates for project budget approval and necessary update and review of the detailed design for the project,” Eje said.

The 100-kilometer Tagum-Davao-Digos Segment will link Davao del Norte, Davao City and Digos City with its eight stations.

Once operational, it can accommodate up to 122,000 passengers by 2022 and reduce travel time from three hours to one hour from Tagum City, Davao del Norte to Digos City, Davao del Sur.

The project's construction will be financed through an official development assistance from China. -NB, GMA News