The old lonely railroad tracks leading north out of Tutuban in Manila will soon have a new lease in life.
The Department of Transportation has set in motion the work on breathing new life to the Tutuban-Clark line of the Philippine National Railways.
Already, 5 of the prospective 17 stations on this line have been marked:
Tutuban
Caloocan
Valenzuela
Meycauayan
Marilao
In Meycauayan, the old brick structure dating back to the Spanish times, part of the original Manila-Dagupan line, will be revived to become part of the planned Tutuban-Clark line.
The local government of Bulacan will shoulder the rehabilitation of this old train station, which is today regarded as a heritage structure.
The new train line will pass through Solis, Bocaue, Balagtas, Guiguinto, Malolos, Calumpit, Apalit, San Fernando, Angeles, Clark, and all the way up to Clark International Airport.
The usual travel time by road of two hours will be cut to 55 minutes.
With a price tag of PhP255 billion, the project is going to be funded through official development assistance via the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
Construction is to begin in the fourth quarter this year, with the government, through DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade determined to achieve completion by 2020.
Philippine national railways currently dispatches trips between Tutuban and Cabuyao, Laguna.
Plans for reviving the entire line going all the way to Naga City in Camarines Sur is also in the works, which is included in the government’s southline project.
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