The Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced that the ADB Philippines approved the loan agreement for the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project with the government. Now that’s out of the way, the agency gave us a preview of what we can expect from the mega railway project.
EDSA Station
Right off the bat, the stations show a contemporary design with a semi-open-air approach. This was probably taken into account so air would come into the stations, battling the hot weather, especially during summertime. It can also provide shade for the convenience of passengers.
Inside, we can see that there is a long line of ticket machines in red, including a counter to assist the concerns of passengers. Moreover, the tracks will be protected by a glass railing that automatically opens and closes once the trains arrive.
Sucat Station
A total of three railway projects are under the NSCR, namely the PNR Clark Phase 1 (Tutuban – Malolos), PNR Clark Phase 2 (Malolos – Clark), and the PNR Calamba (Solis – Calamba). Overall, the project will be spanning 148 km, which will soon further improve the services offered by the Philippine National Railway (PNR).
The latest update is that the 38-km PNR Clark Phase 1 is said to be completed by the second quarter of 2024. Meanwhile, the PNR Clark Phase 2 is 33 percent completed as of September last year.
Santa Rosa Station
“It is expected that the ongoing NSCR Project will be pursued even beyond the current administration’s term and will be delivered eventually to provide a more convenient and comfortable life for the Filipino people,” said DOTr in a press release statement.
The North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) is just one of the many railway projects that will soon move Filipinos faster. Another significant project is the Metro Manila Subway Project, a massive subway network that aims to provide a faster travel time between Quezon City and NAIA Terminal 3.
One promising PNR project
Aside from railway projects, the agency also aims to make the different parts of Luzon closer by land travel with its Luzon Spine Expressway (LSEN) program. It is a 417-km long expressway that will run between the Provinces of Quezon and Bicol. DOTr and SMC recently signed the toll operations deal for the program.
Catch more infrastructure project updates at Philkotse.com.