The private sector operator of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) in Metro Manila held a groundbreaking ceremony for its Cavite extension project on Thursday, paving the way for the start of construction after years of delays.

Light Rail Manila Corp., backed by Ayala Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp., bagged that P65-billion LRT-1 Cavite extension public private partnership project in 2014.

The 32-year concession involved the operations and maintenance of the LRT-1, among Southeast Asia’s oldest railway lines, and an 11.7-kilometer extension from Baclaran to the Niog area in Bacoor Cavite.

Light Rail Manila president and CEO Rogelio Singson said the project would be finished by 2020, assuming the right of way was delivered on time. He said commercial operations for the Cavite line was poised to begin by early 2021.

The groundbreaking event was led by Department of 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.

LRMC would spend about P35 billion for the LRT-1 Cavite extension project. The remainder will be shouldered by the government, which will also deliver new train cars from Japanese suppliers. Singson said passenger capacity at the extended LRT-1 would double to about 800,000.

According to LRMC, the Cavite extension projects will have an initial eight stations. These will be called Aseana Station, MIA Station, Asiaworld Station, Ninoy Aquino Station, Dr. Santos Station, Las Piñas Station, Zapote Station and Niog Station.

Singson said travel time from Bacoor to Manila would be cut from over two hours to about 20 minutes.

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