Marubeni-Consunji tandem bags LRT-2 East E&M contract

THE consortium of Japanese firm Marubeni Corp. and engineering and construction firm D.M. Consunji, Inc. secured the $62-million (about P3.24-billion) contract for the Manila Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 2 East Extension project.
In a disclosure to the stock exchange on Friday, DM Consunji’s parent DMCI Holdings, Inc. said its consortium was awarded the electrical and mechanical (E&M) package for the four-kilometer railway system extension with two additional stations, Emerald and Masinag.
DM Consunji will be in charge of the trackwork procurement and construction, as well as the installation of E&M systems. The company noted that it was also the one responsible for a viaduct and two new stations in the project, which will soon be completed.
For its part, Marubeni will be responsible for the overall administration and procurement of E&M railway systems since it is the consortium leader.
The LRT-2 East Extension project is among the projects funded by a 43.2-billion yen-credit facility by the Japanese government, as part of the “Capacity Enhancement of Mass Transit Systems in Metro Manila Project.”
The extension project is seen to reduce travel time from Manila to Antipolo and vice versa to as fast as 30 minutes from the current three hours.
Marubeni was also the firm that constructed LRT-2 from 2000 to 2004. The 13.8-kilometer elevated metro line connects the eastern and western parts of Metro Manila. The existing train system has a ridership of 250,000 people daily, from Recto Station in Manila to Santolan Station in Pasig City.
The Japanese firm’s other projects in the country include the improvement and modernization of Commuter Line South Project, and the LRT-1 capacity expansion project’s first and second phases.
“Utilizing its vast experiences, as well as know-how acquired through the successful implementation of this Project, Marubeni will further contribute to social and economic growth in the Philippines by participating in more railway and infrastructure projects in the near future,” the company said. — Arra B. Francia