DOTr breaks ground for NSCR’s Banlic-Laguna Depot

Construction works at the southern leg of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project continue to move forward as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Thursday broke ground for the railway line’s depot in Banlic, Calamba City, Laguna.

In a news release, the DOTr said the NSCR’s Contract Package S-07 (Banlic Depot) started construction, signaling progress of the railway project’s southern leg following the closure of the Philippines National Railways' (PNR) Alabang-Calamba portion in July last year to give way for preparatory, land development, and construction works for the NSCR.

“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,” said Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista.

The P16.9-billion CP S-07 includes architectural works, control center, stabling yard, maintenance shop, and other ancillary buildings of the 24.5-hectare depot.

The depot is expected to be completed in 2028, along with the entire line’s target completion.

Other contract packages of the NSCR’s southern leg, which are undergoing construction, are the CP S-04, CP S-05, and CP S-06.

The CP S-04 is an 8.5-kilometer portion of the railway that includes elevated viaducts and stations in Alabang and Muntinlupa.

The CP S-05, meanwhile, involves the construction of the southern leg’s 12.8-kilometer rail line, including viaducts and stations in San Pedro, Pacita, Biñan, and Sta. Rosa in Laguna.

The CP S-06 covers the line’s 10.22 kilometers of viaducts and stations in Cabuyao, Banlic, and Calamba in Laguna.

“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,” said Bautista.

The northern leg of the project, meanwhile, has achieved a 60% progress rate. 

The northern portion of the NSCR runs from Clark, Pampanga to Valenzuela City with a total of 12 stations.

For the NSCR’s Metro Manila leg, which involves the construction of elevated and at-grade tracks and stations stretching from Blumentritt in Manila to Sucat in Parañaque City, construction is expected to begin in October this year.

The NSCR, in its entirety, will stretch more than 147 kilometers with a total of 37 stations across Clark, Pampanga to Calamba, Laguna.

The project is co-financed by Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Once operational, it will reduce travel time from Clark, Pampanga to Calamba, Laguna by less than two hours and accommodate 800,000 passengers daily.—LDF, GMA Integrated News