SMC starts work on MRT-7 train depot

MANILA, Philippines — San Miguel Corp.’s first mass rail project, the Metro Rail Transit-7 (MRT-7), continues to be hounded by right-of-way problems, but a key component of the project has started construction, SMC reported on Tuesday.

SMC said its infrastructure arm has commenced construction on a 20-hectare property in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan that will serve as the train depot for the MRT-7.

The depot will have enough capacity to accommodate up to 150 train cars and will house facilities for the maintenance and operation of the trains.

SMC said the depot’s capacity exceeds the 36 train sets or 108 rail cars set for the project to ensure enough room for future expansion.

The 108 MRT-7 train cars, which are all made in South Korea by Hyundai Rotem, are expected to be delivered by the end of the year.

“This is yet another important milestone reached by our MRT-7 team, who have been diligently working for several years now, even throughout this pandemic, not only to build the physical structure of the rail system, but also to overcome the right-of-way and property-related challenges faced by a project of this scale,” SMC president and chief executive officer Ramon Ang said.

“With the necessary land area for the MRT-7 depot finally complete, we can’t waste any more time. Our people are fully committed to delivering this vital project to the public as soon as possible,” he said.

Ang said the company estimates the depot to be ready to support essential operations by the end of 2023.

He said project completion for the MRT-7 is estimated at over 60 percent, with most of the construction works focused on the first 12 of 14 stations.

According to SMC, construction on the last two stations, as well as the train depot, has been delayed due to right-of-way issues.

The MRT-7 is a 22-kilometer rail line from North Avenue, Quezon City to San Jose del Monte in Bulacan.

It can accommodate up to 300,000 passengers during its first year of operations.