Commuters would not have to wait until 2028 to enjoy the convenience of the Metro Rail Transit Line 4 (MRT-4) as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) will implement a partial operability scheme for the project.
This was announced by Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade on Friday, Oct. 1 during the contract signing for the detailed architectural and engineering design consultancy of the MRT-4 project at the Rizal Capitol in Antipolo City.
“I saw the completion of the project is 2028. I want the concept of partial operability to be implemented in the designs, in the projects, so that we will not wait for the completion of the project until 2028. So that the people of Rizal can enjoy and experience the benefit of MRT-4,” Tugade said in his speech.
Tugade also directed the project’s design consultant, IDOM Consulting Engineering, Architecture, SA, to include the concept of immediate operability in their design.
Under the agreement, IDOM will prepare the preliminary design, detailed engineering and tender designs, the loan processing documents, financial and economical assessments, the project/loan safeguards documents, and bidding documents for the project.
The Spain-based firm was also tasked to determine the proper mode of transportation along the alignment and provide the methodology on ridership validation.
According to the DOTr, the total contract cost of the consultancy project amounts to $28.967 million or around P1.4 billion.
Spain's ambassador to the Philippines Jorge Moragas Sanchez said the project will bring social and economic benefits to the Province of Rizal, while at the same time addressing the congestion problems in the area.
“I can only imagine the vast economic improvement this project will contribute to the lives of the citizens and communities of Rizal province. Once the MRT-4 is completed and operational, it will improve economic and commercial connectivity. Of course, not to mention the improvement it will bring to the congestion issue here in this area,” Sanchez said.
For her part, Rizal Governor Rebecca Alcantara Ynares said the MRT-4 is another project that will benefit the residents of Rizal.
Funded by the Asian Development Bank's official development assistance, the MRT-4 project is a railway mass transit system that aims connect the eastern part of Metro Manila with the highly-populated areas of Rizal province.
The railway will cut across the cities of Mandaluyong, San Juan, Quezon, Pasig, and municipalities of Cainta and Taytay in Rizal with 11 proposed stations namely N. Domingo, Col. Bonny Serrano, Greenhills, EDSA, Meralco Ave., Rosario, St. Joseph, Cainta Junction, Tikling Junction, Manila East Road, and Taytay.
The rail line is expected to address the massive traffic problem and limited road capacities in the over-populated areas of eastern Metro Manila once operational, as well as increase the opportunities for employment, livelihood, and business for Filipinos.
The project's design stage is slated for the 4th quarter of 2021, while the start of early works is scheduled for the 2nd quarter of 2022.