January 1, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) has undergone so many changes from its original design that the government is hiring an engineering consultant to look at all of them.
In a request for expression of interest, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said it is looking for an engineering consultant for the MRT-7, a project being built by San Miguel Corp. (SMC).
The DOTr is willing to pay as much as P573.65 million for the consultancy job, which has to be completed within 29 months.
Based on the contract details, the consultant will be tasked to review design changes in the MRT-7, ensuring that revisions made are allowed in the concession. The consultant also has to review the impact of the adjustments on cost and timeline.
Moreover, the consultant will be assigned to look into the variations that SMC is making to the MRT-7 in terms of cost, scope, and implementation. SMC started building the MRT-7 in 2016 but has yet to open any portion of the railway.
Turning away from the original design, SMC has brought in several changes in consideration of local government and right-of-way issues.
SMC relocated the terminal in North Avenue, the first station, to ensure that it is connected to the railways that cross the area, namely, Light Rail Transit Line 1 and Metro Rail Transit Line 3.
Further, SMC moved the Sacred Heart Station upon the request of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System concerning the La Mesa Watershed Reservation.
Likewise, the developer transferred the depot of the MRT-7 from San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, to Greater Lagro, Quezon City, close to the new station in Sacred Heart. Redesigns were also made in the initial segments to reduce traffic impact on Commonwealth Avenue during construction.
The DOTr will receive eligibility documents from potential consultants until Jan. 28, 2025. It will draw up a shortlist of five participants entitled to submit bids for the contract.
The Quezon City leg of the MRT-7 is being eyed for opening toward the end of 2025, while the remaining railway segments are scheduled to operate by late 2027 or early 2028.
The MRT-7 is expected to carry 300,000 passengers per day in its first year of operations, but the ridership is projected to climb to 800,000 in the 12th year.
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