DOTr awards contract for P40 billion NSCR line

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has tapped Filipino, Indonesian and Spanish builders to plan and put up the P40-billion Manila section of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR).

In a notice of award, the DOTr has allocated Contract Package (CP) S-01 to the joint venture of Indonesian firms PT Adhi Karya (Persero) Tbk. and PT PP (Persero) Tbk.

The contract worth P11.29 billion and $6.88 million, or nearly P382 million, covers the civil works for the Blumentritt Extension of the Malolos-Clark Railway, the northern line of the NSCR.

The Indonesians are tasked to construct the railway viaduct structure, including the elevated station at Blumentritt. Based on a study, the Blumentritt extension will span for at least 1.2 kilometers and should be finished within 1,460 calendar days.

In a separate award, the DOTr designated CP S-02 to the joint venture of Acciona Construction Philippines Inc.—the local unit of a Spanish multinational—and D.M. Consunji Inc. (DMCI). The contract amounts to almost P29 billion, inclusive of $72.31 million and 5.07 million euros.

With the award, Acciona and DMCI are assigned to deliver the railway viaduct structure, as well as the elevated stations, at España, Sta. Mesa and Paco.

The section will run 7.9 kilometers and should be completed within 1,612 calendar days, according to the DOTr.

Afterward, the DOTr is poised to award CP S-03A, the Manila to Taguig line; S-03B, the Taguig to Parañaque stretch; and S-03C, the Parañaque to Muntinlupa segment, in March.

To make way and speed up the construction of the NSCR, the DOTr will close the train services of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) for five years. The DOTr said the suspension of PNR operations would hasten the civil works of the NSCR by eight months, allowing the government to save P15.18 billion since land acquisition and relocation of utilities will be expedited.

The PNR will stop its daily services from Governor Pascual, Malabon City to Calamba, Laguna, as well as from Alabang, Muntinlupa City to Calamba, in May. Afterward, the PNR will suspend the rail services between Alabang and Tutuban, Manila City in October.

In response, the DOTr plans to issue special franchises to select buses to service an estimated 30,000 passengers who would be affected by the closure of PNR routes.

To be finished in 2028, the P873.62-billion NSCR puts up a railway that would connect Malolos, Bulacan with Clark International Airport and Tutuban with Calamba.