Government plans north grand central station for LRT, MRT

MANILA, Philippines – The government is looking at building one grand central station in the North to make it more convenient for commuters to use the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and the Metro Rail Transit (MRT), one of the contractors of the project said.

In an interview President and COO of Lopez led First Balfour Anthony L. Fernandez said that the government approved changes in the plan last March. The change may mean a delay in the opening of the extension project which was slated for May 2010.

Initially, the LRT extension will be located at the Trinoma Mall. However, Fernandez said the government wanted to make it easy for train users by making one station that will not require commuters to leave the station when they transfer trains.

Fernandez said this will be the first station in the country that will interconnect different train lines.

The grand central station will be located near SM North Edsa because there are more people there.

“The initial plan is to connect the train in Trinoma but there have been changes. Now it is only one station and the people will not be required to leave the station anymore,” Fernandez told reporters.

Because of this, Fernandez said there will be changes in their plans including a slight extension of the MRT 3.

“It is a good concept,” Fernandez said. Although, he said it would have been better if the government decided on the idea before construction began. Likewise, he said there must be leeway for the project and that the government must allow the contractors extension in the time frame.

Last year, the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) announced that the joint venture of D.M. Consunji and First Balfour won the contract for the construction of a mass rail transit that will run from Monumento in Caloocan City to North Avenue in Quezon City

Costing about P6.4 billion, the project involves the construction, including the detailed design of a 5.71-kilometer elevated line from Monumento station of LRT Line 1 to North Avenue of Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT 3), two new intermediate stations (Balintawak and Roosevelt) and a terminal station (Line 1 North Avenue station). –Ma. Elisa P. Osorio, Philippine Star