(Eagle News) — Light Rail Transit-2 commuters going to Pasig, Marikina, and Antipolo can enjoy faster travel as the LRT-2 East Extension line opens to the public on Monday, July 5.
According to the Department of Transportation, passengers from Santolan to Antipolo and vice versa, can ride for free for two weeks following the request of President Rodrigo Duterte, who, with Transportation Secretary Art Tugade, inaugurated the project on Friday, July 1.
Commuters will board a shuttle train that will take them from the line’s Antipolo Station to the Santolan Station, and vice versa.
During the line’s free shuttle operations for the next two weeks, passengers will board at the Antipolo Station or at the Marikina-Pasig Station and alight at the Santolan Station.
From the Santolan Station, passengers will transfer to another train that will take them to the Recto Station (and vice versa).
“Malaking bagay ‘ho ito, sasabihin ko lang kung mararapatin. ‘Pag nagbiyahe ka sa C.M. Recto papuntang Antipolo, by land – between 3 to 4 hours. With the LRT Extension, magiging 30 minutes na lang po ‘yan. Ang ibig sabihin, maraming oras na mabibigay sa pamilya, pag-aaral at oras sa ating pagnenegosyo,” Tugade said, noting that those who would primarily benefit were students at the University Belt.
He noted that before the pandemic, the LRT-2 had a 40% total ridership, pegged at 80,000.
Meanwhile, LRTA Administrator Gen. Reynaldo Berroya noted that the project fulfills the government’s promise to provide commuters with a safe, reliable and efficient mode of transportation.
He said the LRT-2 East Extension project also took more than two decades before it was completed.
“The need to extend the LRT-2 existing system to Antipolo was seen two decades ago through a study conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA),” he said.
He said the National Economic and Development Authority gave its go-signal for the project in 2012, leading to a groundbreaking ceremony in June 2015.
He said those were followed by groundbreaking ceremonies in June 2017, and April 2019 for its Packages 2 and 3.
President Duterte hailed the DOTr for the completion of the project despite difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.