THE CONSTRUCTION of the Malolos-Clark portion of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) will soon start following the signing of three civil works contracts amounting to PHP84.9 billion on Thursday.
In an online presser, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said the construction of the railway will begin in the next two months.
It is eyed to reach partial operability by 2023 and full completion by end of 2024.
“We are starting construction by November (or) December this year with the mobilization of our three contractors,” Batan said.
DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade said the project will create the “first-ever airport express service” in the Philippines, connecting the Clark International Airport (CRK) to Metro Manila by railway.
“Yung train 160 kilometer per hour. Kaya nga express ho ito, walang stop. Kaya ang managyayari ho talaga diyan, mababawasan po yung pagbiyahe pagpunta sa Manila, sa Makati, papuntang Clark (The train will run at 160 km per hour. That’s why express, non-stop. It will reduce travel time from Manila, Makati to Clark),” Tugade said.
He said travel time from Metro Manila to Clark is estimated to be reduced to at least 48 minutes through the NSCR.
“Ito ho ay malaking comfort at convenience na maibibigay sa ating mga pasahero. Abangan ang unang airport express train travel sa Pilipinas (This will provide a lot of comfort and convenience to passengers. Wait for the airport express train travel in the Philippines),” Tugade said.
The Malolos-Clark portion of the NSCR is divided into three contract packages.
The first contract was awarded to a joint venture of Korean firms Hyundai Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd., Dong-ah Geological Engineering Company Ltd., and Filipino firm Megawide Construction Corporation worth PHP28.38 billion. The 17-kilometer first phase covers Malolos, Bulacan; Calumpit, Bulacan; Apalit, Pampanga; and Minalin, Pampanga.
On the other hand, the joint venture of Acciona Construction Philippines and Korean firm Daelim Industrial Co. Ltd. will build the second phase worth PHP33.71 billion. The 16-km phase is from Minalin, Pampanga and will pass through Santo Tomas, Pampanga up to San Fernando, Pampanga.
The PHP22.78-billion third contract was awarded to Italian-Thai Development Public Co., Ltd., worth PHP22,776,494,476.16, building 12-km railway from San Fernando, Pampanga passing by Angeles, Pampanga up to Mabalacat, Pampanga.
Aside from rail tracks, the contracts cover the construction of all civil engineering and structural works of the project including viaducts, bridges, and five stations.
The five stations are Calumpit, Apalit, San Fernando, Angeles, and Clark. (By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz)
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