DOTr to award common station to LRMC in Q1

The government is expected to award the contract to complete the long-delayed common station linking Metro Manila’s railways to the private operator of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) in the first quarter of next year.

- By DEXTER BARRO II

Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan told Manila Bulletin that the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is now finalizing the contract for the Unified Grand Central Station, with the award scheduled between January and March.

The DOTr is poised to award the contract to Light Rail Manila Corp. (LMRC), which recently submitted an unsolicited proposal to conclude the project.

Batan did not disclose the value of LRMC’s proposal, noting that it is still undergoing further evaluation.

He said the proposal will first have to be submitted to the Economy and Development Council (ED Council), chaired by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., for its approval since it is a public-private partnership (PPP).

Batan said LRMC is the sole proponent to have expressed interest in completing the construction of the Unified Grand Central Station.