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MANILA—The Quezon City Council is asking the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to reconsider the planned route of the Metro Manila subway, a congressman said on Thursday.

Rep. Winston Castelo (Quezon City's 2nd District) said city residents are appealing to the DOTr to change the route and make it follow EDSA "as originally planned" instead of C5.

Based on the route planned by the DOTr, the subway is supposed to start at Mindanao Ave, then pass through North Ave., Quezon Ave. then to East Ave and Anonas and Katipunan.

But Castelo said a route that passes through the length of EDSA was more practical because it was safer, cheaper and faster to build, and it served more commuters, according to city engineers.

He said it was safer because the C5 route was closer to fault lines. It was also cheaper and faster to build on EDSA because the government would no longer need to negotiate with property owners.

"Du'n kasi sa C5 baka magreklamo 'yung mga subdivision, makakuha sila ng TRO [temporary restraining order] sa korte so tatagal at tatagal pa," Castelo said in an interview with DZMM Teleradyo.

(On C5, subdivisions may get TROs from the courts, which will cause delays.)

Castelo said he doubted if residents of posh subdivisions such as White Plains, Greenmeadows and Corinthian Gardens would allow construction of facilities along their area.

He also said that it was not unusual for big cities to have multiple transit modes such as the MRT-3 and the subway in a single corridor like EDSA.

The Metro Manila subway project broke ground earlier this year, but actual construction is not expected until next year.

The DOTr has said that it plans to have at least 3 stations operational by the end of President Rodrigo Duterte's term.