The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said the closure of the Manila Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) North Ave. station in line with the Common Station construction is just a suggestion from the contractor of the government project.
The department has yet to consult with their stakeholders once they receive a detailed proposal.
DOTr Undersecretary Timothy John Batan said the construction work for the Common Station will have limited hours from 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. when MRT operations are shut down.
“Dahil nga sa umaga ay tumatakbo ang MRT-3 at umaabot ang MRT-3 doon sa ating common station site na mayroong electrical safety risk, at siyempre ‘yung mga dumadaan na sasakyan sa ilalim ng common station along EDSA southbound ay mayroon din tayong safety concerns,” he said.
The contractor also suggested closing a lane in EDSA southbound, particularly below the ongoing construction of the Common Station.
There is no final decision yet on the proposal, providing more time to the public to prepare once it is approved. More buses are eyed to be deployed in the busway to accommodate passengers using the North Ave. station.
The Common Station is 50% finished with a completion deadline set for March 2022. Once operational, passengers will have a central station for LRT-1, MRT-3, and MRT-7 commuters.
Meanwhile, the threat of the Omicron variant has not yet affected the operations of the Philippine Airlines (PAL).
The airline’s spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said in the Dec. 9 Laging Handa briefing that they have been very cautious even without the entry of the heavily mutated variant.
The airline has also added more flights and routes to accommodate passengers this holiday season. – Reports from Karen Villanda and Allan Francisco/AG-rir
