MANILA – Makalipas ang mahigit 15 taon mula nang aprubahan ito ng National Economic and Development Authority noong Disyembre 2006, ang pagtatayo ng North Triangle Common Station sa Edsa, Quezon City ay nakatakdang matapos sa katapusan nitong buwan ng Marso.
Sa isang pahayag noong Sabado, sinabi ni Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Art Tugade na ang Station Building ng Area A ay konektado na sa Area B (Atrium) na 100 porsiyentong kumpleto na.
Ininspeksyon niya ang istasyon noong Huwebes kasama sina Japan Ambassador sa Pilipinas na si Kazuhiko Koshikawa, Japan International Cooperation Agency chief representative Eigo Azukizawa, construction firm BF Corporation chief executive officer Marides Fernando, iba pang transport officials, at private sector partners.
Ang 13,700-square-meter concourse area ay mag-uugnay sa apat na pangunahing linya ng riles: Light Rail Transit (LRT)-1, Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 at 7, at ang Metro Manila Subway Project.
“Notwithstanding the fact that I did not close Edsa to traffic, notwithstanding the fact that I did not suspend or realign the operations of the MRT-3, the construction of the Common Station’s building structure will be completed by end of March,” wika ni Tugade.
Target na magsimula ng mga operasyon sa Hulyo, iniutos ni Tugade ang pagsisimula ng mga operasyon sa mas maagang petsa “nang hindi isinakripisyo ang kalidad ng trabaho at makatwirang gastos”.
“I will henceforth, until my term ends, inspect and make sure that the electromechanical system will also be in place so that this Common Station, a long-time dream of the Filipino people, will turn into reality. I hope it can be done within the term of President Rodrigo Duterte,” dagdag niya.
Tiniyak ni Fernando na matutugunan ng BF Construction ang timeline na walang tigil na trabaho, kabilang ang patuloy na pagkonkreto ng antas ng platform, kung saan magsasama ang mga linya ng MRT-3 at LRT-1.
Si Kazuhiko, na sumakay sa MRT-3 mula sa Ayala Station sa Makati patungo sa lugar ng inspeksyon, ay pinuri ang walang humpay na pagsisikap ng DOTr na mapabuti ang mobility at connectivity.
“So, in the near future, I can change from the MRT-3 to the LRT-1 and MRT-7 or Metro Manila Subway via this Common Station. And I can go anywhere in a short time period. Needless to say that railway connectivity is indispensable for efficient transport. That’s why the opening of this Common Station will offer a significant level of comfort to use these railways,” wika ni Kazuhiko.
Sa sandaling makumpleto na, ang Common Station ay kayang tumanggap ng halos 500,000 pasahero araw-araw.
