THE MANILA METRO RAIL TRANSIT(MRT) LINE 7; THE FIRST PHILIPPINE THIRD RAIL TRANSIT

Manila Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 7 offers an end to end trip about 30mins with 80 kilometer per hour train operating speed from North Avenue, Quezon City, to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan. MRT7 will have 22.8km composed of elevated, at grade and depressed line. The project is owned and managed by the Republic of Philippines Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC).

Its primary objective is to provide more efficient, safer, faster and pollution free mode of mass transit for commuters, convenient access to the nearest rail transit lines MRT3 and LRT1, provide modern Intermodal Bus Terminal seamless connction to MRT7 to allow provincial buses to enter Metro Manila via San Jose Del Monte Bulacan and aeviate traffic congestion, and provide economic development in the area.

MRT7 is the first Philippine Rail Transit with Third Rail Transit similar to Japan, Singapore & Tapei Railway System.

 The new line will carry approximately 28,000 passengers an hour in each direction, which can be extended to roughly 36,000 passengers an hour with further upgrades. It is estimated to initially serve approximately 350,000 passengers a day, which will increase to 800,000 passengers a day upon completion of the upgrades.

The new line will include a 22.8km elevated railway line with 14 stations, which include Quezon North Avenue Joint station, Quezon Memorial Circle, University Avenue, Tandang Sora, Don Antonio, Batasan, Manggahan, Dona Carmen, Regalado, Mindanao Avenue, Quirino, Sacred Heart, Tala, and San Jose del Monte.

The project also includes construction of a 22km highway from the NLEX Bocaue interchange, and an intermodal transport terminal (ITT) located near San Jose del Monte station.

The new railway line will make it easy for the residents of Quezon City, Caloocan City, Bulacan, and neighbouring areas to commute to the centre of the metropolis much faster than on road. It is expected to minimise the travel time by 2.5 hours from the current 3.5 hours on road.

Construction of the MRT line 7 began at the children’s Garden of the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City in April 2016. The ground breaking ceremony was attended by the  former president of the Republic of Philippines.Benigno S. Aquino III.

A 19 hectares of  depot has been constructed at San Jose del Monte to accommodate a control centre, administrative offices and other facilities.

The consortium consisting of EEI Corporation and Hyundai Rotem Company was awarded an engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPC) contract for the MRT line 7 project in 2008.

The new railway Rolling Stock will be provided by Hyundai Rotem. That will be operated with 108 rail cars in a three-car configuration. Hyundai Rotem was awarded a $440.2m worth rolling stock contract to supply 108 three-car train sets to be operated on the line 7 in January 2016.

Hyundai Rotem will cater all system works that will supply 36 three-car train sets by the second half of 2019. The contractual scope also includes signalling, communications and power supplies for the metro line.