Completion of railway projects assured

Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza has assured the immediate completion of various railway projects to ease the worsening traffic problems in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

Mendoza specified that the Department of Transportation and Communications will focus on the interconnection of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and the Light Rail Transit (LRT).

According to the DOTC, the $214-million EDSA MRT 3 Phase 2 from North EDSA to Caloocan is underway. This will provide for the seamless integration of MRT with the LRT, and will also save the government $55 million for a separate depot and station in North EDSA.

The DOTC said that MRT 3 (Phases 1 & 2) will form the railway transport backbone complementing the operation of the other lines. The DOTC has been tasked by President Arroyo to oversee the completion of the long-delayed MRT 3 Phase 2 project.

Other railway projects include the P405.92-million LRT Line 1 project which will modernize and upgraded the existing fleet. The P31.42-billion MRT 2 project which will link Old Bilibid, Ramon Magsaysay, Aurora Boulevard, Cubao and Katipunan. DOTC has also embarked on the rehabilitation of the trains and tracks of the Philippine National Railways (PNR).

The MRT Phase 2 project which has already gotten the approval of the DOTC, Department of Finance and the NEDA-ICC has been delayed for almost six months now. Informed sources said that Congress is again poised to conduct an investigation as to the reasons for the delay considering that the project has already been approved by the concerned lead agencies and because the project is vital to the social and economic development of Metro Manila. The delay is also depriving the economy of billions of pesos in fresh revenue.

President Arroyo, in a recent speech, emphasized the need to complete all railways and transport facilities which serve as vital arteries to commence.