The Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), the contracted operator of LRT 1, held its groundbreaking ceremony for LRT 1 Cavite Extension Project on Thursday to officially begin its construction.

The ceremony was led by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Public Works and Highways secretary Mark Villar, Ayala CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, and Metro Pacific CEO Jose Lim, and Sen. Cynthia Villar.

According to Light Rail Manila President and CEO Rogelio Singson, the P64.9-billion project of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT1) extension from Baclaran to Bacoor, Cavite is eyed to be completed on October 2021. On its opening year, the railway line is anticipated to accommodate 410,000 passengers a day.

This Private-Public Partnership (PPP) was bagged by LRC, a conglomerate of Ayala Corporation and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) last February 2016. According to PPP Center, the private partner will assume the design, construction, financing, operation, maintenance of the integrated system upon completion of the project as well as undertake forthcoming system maintenance, upgrades and permitted commercial development.

LRMC stated that the Cavite extension project will cover 8 stations for its initial operations, namely Aseana Station, MIA Station, Asiaworld Station, Ninoy Aquino Station, Dr. Santos Station, Las Pinas Station, Zapote Station and Niog Station.

Source: Inquirer.net