DOTr Undersecretary for Railways TJ Batan met with the QC LGU and SMC yesterday to discuss the MRT-7 Quezon Memorial Circle (QMC) Station.
DOTr acknowledged QC’s historical, cultural, and environmental concerns, and noted that SMC already expressed openness to reconsider MRT-7 QMC Station’s current designs to address QC’s concerns.
As discussed in a stakeholders meeting last February 14, SMC will present its proposed re-design of MRT-7 QMC Station on February 28, and finalization of the design will involve QC LGU.
DOTr explained that the larger size of MRT-7 QMC Station is due to updated ridership demand projections, and its corresponding increased capacity requirements (e.g., more riders require a bigger station), which include larger passenger support facilities.
DOTr also explained that MRT-7’s original ridership and capacity/sizing assumptions were based on the project’s 2008 Concession Agreement, which had to be updated in 2017-2018 since the project stalled and did not move from 2008 to 2016.
MRT-7’s “sizing” was updated in 2017 to 2018, because ridership projections have changed over the course of time that the MRT-7 Project stalled between 2008 to 2016.
DOTr noted that it did not want to under-build a transport asset now with a capacity that we know will no longer be able to sufficiently address demand in as little as 5- or 10-years’ time (MRT-7’s concession period is 25 years).
QC LGU clarified that their statement re suspension of construction works is only for the above-ground structures of MRT-7 QMC Station, and that underground works (which are the currently ongoing works) may proceed.
