MANILA -- The Department of Transportation (DOTr) confirmed Wednesday that they will again postpone the opening of the common station that would interconnect 4 train lines in Metro Manila.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said there are technical issues that have yet to be resolved.

Located in North Edsa, Quezon City, the Unified Grand Central Station will feature a 13,700-square meter concourse area and will interconnect the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1), the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7), and the Metro Manila Subway.

The common station was supposed to be opened to the public this May.

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“We visited the facility two weeks ago. Marami pang dapat ayusin. Unang una yung Automated Fare Collection System. There are some things we need to settle. Also yung signalling system din," Bautista said.

Initially, it was projected to be finished by the first quarter of 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns set back the completion date.

Bautista said they now aim to open the common station before the end of the year.

“We need to work with the contractor. Hopefully within the year. Yung LRT1 naman nasa Roosevelt so ginagawa pa natin yung viaduct to connect it. So tamang tamang-tama in time for the operations of the LRT1 to connect to North Avenue before the end of the year.”

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Once operational, passengers that need to transfer to LRT-1 Roosevelt from MRT-3 North Ave station will no longer need to leave the station and ride a jeepney.

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The common station can serve up to 500,000 passengers per day.

There will also be an intermodal integrated system below, allowing leaving passengers of the Common Station to depart by bus, jeepney, or taxi conveniently.

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