Here are 6 Philippine railway projects currently underway

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is ramping up its operations in developing more projects in an effort to fulfill the current government’s “Golden Age of Infrastructure” vision. To note, a total of P8.4-trillion would be spent for the said program to make it come to life.

Millions of commuters daily will benefit

Part of the project is the rehabilitation/construction of six railways that are strategically located in different parts of Luzon. Upon completion, comfort and convenience in the local public transportation should be achieved which should benefit Filipino commuters in the long run.

Without further ado, here are the ongoing/recent six DOTr railway projects in the country:

1. LRT-1 Cavite Extension

First up on the list is the LRT-1 Cavite Extension. It is an 11.7-km extension project that aims to extend the railway from Baclaran to Bacoor, traversing through cities such as Parañaque and Las Piñas The latest update on the project is the installation of the girder along the Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX).

Getting to the South will soon be easier

As of this writing, the said extension project is now 58 percent complete. It is expected to be completed before the end of 2021. Once completed, the project is expected to reduce the travel time between Baclaran and Bacoor to around 20 minutes from the usual one hour, as well as serve 800,000 commuters daily.

2. LRT-2 East Extension Project

Next up is the LRT-2 East Extension Project which is now added with two new stations, namely the Marikina-Pasig and Antipolo stations. It was opened last June and is now operational, serving around 320,000 commuters daily. With its inauguration, the travel time between Recto to Masinag, Antipolo is now reduced to only 40 minutes.

Now in service

In addition, the Light Rail Transit (LRT) announced that it will open three new stations starting from Recto station westwards which is aimed to be completed by 2023. These new stations include Pier 4, Tutuban, and Divisoria.

3. MRT-3 Rehabilitation project

The DOTr aims to improve the MRT-3 with its rehabilitation project that is expected to be accomplished before the end of the year. This would be a key improvement in the daily lives of Filipino commuters considering that MRT-3 is one of the most integral parts of the local public transportation in Metro Manila

It will improve lives of Filipino commuters

Under the rehabilitation project, there will be new train tracks and trains will be overhauled to ensure safe operations at all times. The MRT-3 trains will be improved to be able to run faster at 60 km/h from the usual 25 km/h. Other improvements include the daily operation of 46 escalators units and 34 elevators.

4. MRT-7

Another railway project from the Manila Metro Rail Transit System (MRTs) is the construction of the new MRT-7. It is one of the most highly anticipated projects in the country considering that it will be handy for those residing in Bulacan that are going in and out of the busy city of Metro Manila.

This railway project offer 14 stations

Upon completion, the MRT-7 is expected to cut travel time between Quezon City and San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan to just 35 minutes. It should serve around 600,000 commuters daily. According to DOTr Secretary Art Tugade, the said railway project should be completed by the fourth quarter of 2022.

5. Metro Manila Subway Project

Once a dream, but now became a reality. The Metro Manila Subway Project is called the “Project of the Century” considering that it is expected to significantly improve public transportation in Metro Manila. It is said to be partially opened in April 2022 and will be fully operational by 2025 or 2026.

Construction is underway

This massive railway project is a 36-km long subway that will go down as the first mass underground transport system in the Philippines. It aims to accommodate 1.5 million passengers on a daily while reducing the travel time between Quezon City to NAIA Terminal 3 to 35 minutes.

6. North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR)

Sixth on the list is the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project. Due to its wide coverage, it is expected to serve as an essential part of growing the economy. The government agency divides the 148 km railway project into three segments.

Different regions in Luzon will be closer than ever

The first one is the PNR Clark Phase 1 which aims to cut down travel time between Manila and Malolos to just 35 minutes. Meanwhile, the PNR Clark Phase 2 will reduce the travel time between Makati and Clark International Airport to 55 minutes, which can help go hand-in-hand with NAIA upon completion. Lastly, the PNR Calamba. It is constructed to bring travel time between Manila and Calamba to an hour only.

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