Project Description
Grace Residences is set in the progressive city of Taguig, the natural expansion area of the country's financial capital, Makati City.Project Map
Site Development Plan
Implementing Agency:
- SM Development Corporation
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Collusion, unfair practice behind transfer of common station project from SM to Trinoma?
Kabataan Partylist Rep. Terry Ridon has called on Congress to review the changes made by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) to the MRT-LRT Common Station project, primarily the transfer from the original SM City North EDSA project site to Trinoma Mall.
“The unwarranted and arbitrary transfer of the project location for the proposed common station that would connect MRT3, LRT1 and the proposed MRT7 train lines is highly suspicious. Collusion and unfair practice may have been committed to push for the said change,” said Ridon, who is a member of the House Committee on Transportation.
In House Resolution No. 961 that Ridon filed this afternoon, the youth legislator asked the Committee on Transportation and the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability “acting either jointly or separately, to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the possible issues of collusion and/or unfair practice committed by government officials and business entities involved in the transfer of the LRT Line 1 North Extension Program–Common Station Project from the originally proposed SM City North EDSA location to the currently proposed Trinoma Mall location.”
“DOTC has not provided any compelling reason to revise the specifications of a project that has already been approved five years ago, back in 2009…It changed the specifications of the Common Station project without the benefit of public scrutiny,” Ridon said in HR 961.
Arbitrary changes
The Common Station project was first finalized during the time of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Under the project specifications approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board back in July 7, 2009, it was envisioned that the existing LRT1 and MRT3 rails be partially extended and connected to the proposed SM City North EDSA station of the MRT7, a planned 23-kilometer train line from EDSA to San Jose del Monte Bulacan.
Under such design, there would only be one central terminal located in SM North EDSA for the three train lines.
However, when President Benigno Aquino III came to power in 2010, the project was stalled indefinitely. Then DOTC Secretary Manuel Roxas II ordered a review of the project, and the agency proceeded to change certain project specifications. Because of political issues, the project was stalled indefinitely due to the arrest and detention of former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from a controversy in November 2011, the impeachment trial of former Philippine Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona in January 2012 and questioning funds from the mall operator.
On May 2013, the DOTC – under the helm of current Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya – announced the possibility of transferring the location of Common Station project from SM City North EDSA to Trinoma Mall, which is owned and operated by Ayala Corporation.
DOTC explained that the government stands to save up to P1 billion if the common station is built in Trinoma rather than SM City North EDSA. Sec. Abaya also explained that constructing the common station at SM City North EDSA would result to “urban blight.”
By November 2013, the DOTC announced that it has endorsed to the NEDA Board the “construction of head-to-head platforms for LRT1 and MRT3 at Trinoma with 147.5 meters elevated walkalator to MRT7 at North Avenue station.”
Subsequently, on November 25, the NEDA Board chaired by President Aquino approved the revised project with a budget of P1.4 billion. DOTC expects the bidding for the project to commence within the first half of the year.
‘Erroneous estimate’
“DOTC may have erroneously estimated the P1-billion savings resulting from the transfer of the Common Station project location to Trinoma Mall, as the agency is comparing two projects with different specifications,” Ridon explained in HR 961.
The original project involved the building of a common station for three train lines, while the current project involves just the construction of an LRT1 station parallel to the existing MRT3 North Avenue Station and a walkalator to connect the two stations to the proposed MRT7 station in SM North EDSA, Ridon explained.
“It’s wrong to compare the cost of two starkly different infrastructure projects,” he pointed out.
“DOTC’s current project design for the MRT-LRT common station also defeats the purpose of the project, which is to provide for easy passenger transfer between the train lines. The current design in fact cannot be considered a common station as it only involves building infrastructure to connect three separate terminals,” the legislator explained.
Unfair practice?
Ridon said that the sudden and unwarranted change of location and specifications for the Common Station project “may have been the result of collusion and unfair practice.”
“The DOTC along with the NEDA Board chaired by President Aquino, might have given Ayala Corporation and other business entities involved in the project unwarranted benefits, advantages or preference, in opting to change the location and specifications of the Common Station project from SM City North EDSA to Trinoma Mall,” Ridon explained.
“The common station project in its current form might prove to be a disadvantageous deal that compromises the welfare of the riding public. Congress should thus investigate the deal even before DOTC opens the bidding process,” he ended.
“The unwarranted and arbitrary transfer of the project location for the proposed common station that would connect MRT3, LRT1 and the proposed MRT7 train lines is highly suspicious. Collusion and unfair practice may have been committed to push for the said change,” said Ridon, who is a member of the House Committee on Transportation.
In House Resolution No. 961 that Ridon filed this afternoon, the youth legislator asked the Committee on Transportation and the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability “acting either jointly or separately, to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the possible issues of collusion and/or unfair practice committed by government officials and business entities involved in the transfer of the LRT Line 1 North Extension Program–Common Station Project from the originally proposed SM City North EDSA location to the currently proposed Trinoma Mall location.”
“DOTC has not provided any compelling reason to revise the specifications of a project that has already been approved five years ago, back in 2009…It changed the specifications of the Common Station project without the benefit of public scrutiny,” Ridon said in HR 961.
Arbitrary changes
The Common Station project was first finalized during the time of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Under the project specifications approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board back in July 7, 2009, it was envisioned that the existing LRT1 and MRT3 rails be partially extended and connected to the proposed SM City North EDSA station of the MRT7, a planned 23-kilometer train line from EDSA to San Jose del Monte Bulacan.
Under such design, there would only be one central terminal located in SM North EDSA for the three train lines.
However, when President Benigno Aquino III came to power in 2010, the project was stalled indefinitely. Then DOTC Secretary Manuel Roxas II ordered a review of the project, and the agency proceeded to change certain project specifications. Because of political issues, the project was stalled indefinitely due to the arrest and detention of former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from a controversy in November 2011, the impeachment trial of former Philippine Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona in January 2012 and questioning funds from the mall operator.
On May 2013, the DOTC – under the helm of current Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya – announced the possibility of transferring the location of Common Station project from SM City North EDSA to Trinoma Mall, which is owned and operated by Ayala Corporation.
DOTC explained that the government stands to save up to P1 billion if the common station is built in Trinoma rather than SM City North EDSA. Sec. Abaya also explained that constructing the common station at SM City North EDSA would result to “urban blight.”
By November 2013, the DOTC announced that it has endorsed to the NEDA Board the “construction of head-to-head platforms for LRT1 and MRT3 at Trinoma with 147.5 meters elevated walkalator to MRT7 at North Avenue station.”
Subsequently, on November 25, the NEDA Board chaired by President Aquino approved the revised project with a budget of P1.4 billion. DOTC expects the bidding for the project to commence within the first half of the year.
‘Erroneous estimate’
“DOTC may have erroneously estimated the P1-billion savings resulting from the transfer of the Common Station project location to Trinoma Mall, as the agency is comparing two projects with different specifications,” Ridon explained in HR 961.
The original project involved the building of a common station for three train lines, while the current project involves just the construction of an LRT1 station parallel to the existing MRT3 North Avenue Station and a walkalator to connect the two stations to the proposed MRT7 station in SM North EDSA, Ridon explained.
“It’s wrong to compare the cost of two starkly different infrastructure projects,” he pointed out.
“DOTC’s current project design for the MRT-LRT common station also defeats the purpose of the project, which is to provide for easy passenger transfer between the train lines. The current design in fact cannot be considered a common station as it only involves building infrastructure to connect three separate terminals,” the legislator explained.
Unfair practice?
Ridon said that the sudden and unwarranted change of location and specifications for the Common Station project “may have been the result of collusion and unfair practice.”
“The DOTC along with the NEDA Board chaired by President Aquino, might have given Ayala Corporation and other business entities involved in the project unwarranted benefits, advantages or preference, in opting to change the location and specifications of the Common Station project from SM City North EDSA to Trinoma Mall,” Ridon explained.
“The common station project in its current form might prove to be a disadvantageous deal that compromises the welfare of the riding public. Congress should thus investigate the deal even before DOTC opens the bidding process,” he ended.
Friday, March 14, 2014
In the way
For residents of Jal Vayu Vihar, airport connectivity by Metro is cause for fear and anxiety. Sucheta Chakraborty reports why
The 32km Metro route runs along EM Bypass, enters Salt Lake from Chingrihata along the canal and proceeds towards New Town to reach the airport.
The bigger worry for the 282 families is that the overhead Metro viaduct would extend over the society’s office and run very close to the residential buildings, which might experience vibration damage during the construction.
When service on the route starts, residents fear that vibration and sound would become a constant hazard as the trains would run close to the buildings, jeopardising their peace and tranquillity.
Bolt from blue
It all started with a letter dated October 2, 2013, addressed to the chairman of Jal Vayu Vihar Co-operative Housing Society from the project manager of Gammon India, the executing body appointed by Rail Vikas Nigam for the Nicco Park-VIP Bazar stretch. It mentioned that the boundary wall of and the footpath flanking the housing society were coming in the way of a pier.
The letter, signed by project manager Uttam Kumar, sought permission to dig trenches to identify the underground utilities. Both “the footpath and boundary needs (sic) to be temporarily removed for trenching work”, the letter said. It also informed that “a temporary building, as shown in the enclosed drawing, will be partially affected during construction of piling foundation of work”.
“The letter was hand-delivered to us by a representative of Gammon India on October 9, along with a drawing of the plan,” says Commander (retd) Ajoy Roy, who was then the secretary of Jal Vayu Vihar Co-operative Society.
The information left the residents, most of them senior citizens retired from the defence forces, “in utter shock”.
“We are not against development work. But a pillar right at the entrance of our main gate will make life miserable for us. The gate is the only point through which vehicles can enter the complex. The other gate we have is on the Bypass and is so narrow that only pedestrians can use it. If our main gate is blocked it would become impossible for us to drive in and out of our complex,” said Roy.
Commodore (retd) Surjya Kumar Chanda, who owns a Wagon R, added: “The stretch of the road opening towards the Bypass would get partially blocked for us as the pillar would come up to the right of our main gate. If a fire breaks out there would be no space for a fire tender to enter our complex,” said Chanda.
The residents acted fast. A meeting was convened inviting all the members of the housing complex, after which a letter, dated October 17, was shot off to Rail Vikas Nigam citing the problems that would crop up if the location of the pier remained unchanged.
“The Gammon representatives sympathised with us. But since they are an executing body, it can hardly do anything to resolve the issue,” said Debasish Palit, a former air force personnel.
The pier is supposed to come up where the kitchen of the complex’s auditorium is located (marked on the Gammon plan as a “temporary building”), located next to the main gate and the guard room. The letter stated that there was no other space to shift these facilities.
Other than the other bigger problems, the letter also pointed to possible disruption of underground supply lines and the large number of trees that would be felled along the concrete road to make space for the viaduct construction. “We have requested them to reassess the alignment of the track so that it is at a safe distance from our complex,” said Roy.
Officialspeak
A senior official of Rail Vikas Nigam, when contacted by The Telegraph Salt Lake, said the matter had been sent to the Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) for re-examination. “An initial discussion has taken place with RITES. The Sukantanagar side (the opposite side of the road) had been considered and rejected for the laying of the route as it was affecting more people. It would take some more time before any decision is taken,” he said. Meanwhile, the residents are keeping their fingers crossed.
 |
| Pier number 322 is robbing the night’s sleep of residents of Jal Vayu Vihar, in LB Block, at the southwestern extremity of Sector III. The pier, one of the many that are coming up for the New Garia-airport Metro extension project, is supposed to come up at the entrance of the housing complex, at the Chingrihata end of the concrete road that runs parallel to the Eastern Drainage Canal. |
.jpg) |
| The proposed location for pier 322 (circled). Picture by Sudeshna Banerjee |
When service on the route starts, residents fear that vibration and sound would become a constant hazard as the trains would run close to the buildings, jeopardising their peace and tranquillity.
Bolt from blue
It all started with a letter dated October 2, 2013, addressed to the chairman of Jal Vayu Vihar Co-operative Housing Society from the project manager of Gammon India, the executing body appointed by Rail Vikas Nigam for the Nicco Park-VIP Bazar stretch. It mentioned that the boundary wall of and the footpath flanking the housing society were coming in the way of a pier.
The letter, signed by project manager Uttam Kumar, sought permission to dig trenches to identify the underground utilities. Both “the footpath and boundary needs (sic) to be temporarily removed for trenching work”, the letter said. It also informed that “a temporary building, as shown in the enclosed drawing, will be partially affected during construction of piling foundation of work”.
“The letter was hand-delivered to us by a representative of Gammon India on October 9, along with a drawing of the plan,” says Commander (retd) Ajoy Roy, who was then the secretary of Jal Vayu Vihar Co-operative Society.
The information left the residents, most of them senior citizens retired from the defence forces, “in utter shock”.
“We are not against development work. But a pillar right at the entrance of our main gate will make life miserable for us. The gate is the only point through which vehicles can enter the complex. The other gate we have is on the Bypass and is so narrow that only pedestrians can use it. If our main gate is blocked it would become impossible for us to drive in and out of our complex,” said Roy.
Commodore (retd) Surjya Kumar Chanda, who owns a Wagon R, added: “The stretch of the road opening towards the Bypass would get partially blocked for us as the pillar would come up to the right of our main gate. If a fire breaks out there would be no space for a fire tender to enter our complex,” said Chanda.
The residents acted fast. A meeting was convened inviting all the members of the housing complex, after which a letter, dated October 17, was shot off to Rail Vikas Nigam citing the problems that would crop up if the location of the pier remained unchanged.
“The Gammon representatives sympathised with us. But since they are an executing body, it can hardly do anything to resolve the issue,” said Debasish Palit, a former air force personnel.
The pier is supposed to come up where the kitchen of the complex’s auditorium is located (marked on the Gammon plan as a “temporary building”), located next to the main gate and the guard room. The letter stated that there was no other space to shift these facilities.
Other than the other bigger problems, the letter also pointed to possible disruption of underground supply lines and the large number of trees that would be felled along the concrete road to make space for the viaduct construction. “We have requested them to reassess the alignment of the track so that it is at a safe distance from our complex,” said Roy.
Officialspeak
A senior official of Rail Vikas Nigam, when contacted by The Telegraph Salt Lake, said the matter had been sent to the Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) for re-examination. “An initial discussion has taken place with RITES. The Sukantanagar side (the opposite side of the road) had been considered and rejected for the laying of the route as it was affecting more people. It would take some more time before any decision is taken,” he said. Meanwhile, the residents are keeping their fingers crossed.
Metro, mono rail projects stuck owing to model code
Chennai, India, 13th March 2014: Road infrastructure projects in the state have been delayed and the enforcement of model code of conduct is going to add more days to them. Several projects have been put on hold for at least three months, till the elections finish by the end of May. According to the code, no new project or scheme can be announced and all pending tender processes must be frozen till the elections are done.
The worst affected perhaps is chief minister J Jayalalithaa's pet project, monorail for Chennai. The state transport corporation envisioned completing it by March 2017. The due date for receiving applications from potential bidders was March 3, the corporation planned to sell bid documents to shortlisted companies on April 2 and open bids for scrutiny on May 5. They have no explanation for how they planned the project in the midst of elections. An official said, "The opening of bids may not happen till the model code of conduct is lifted."
Chennai metro rail's first phase, stuck owing to termination of a contract for construction of 10 stations, is another cause for concern. Completion of seven stations is crucial for inauguration of the first phase between Koyambedu and Alandur by the end of the year. So far, an alternative contractor has not been identified. Officials claim they may get special permission from the Election Commission to finalise the contract."The model code of conduct may not affect us because tenders have been floated. We can take permission from EC and award the contract," said an official.
Work on two grade separators at Red Hills and Tambaram will be held up owing to delay in finalising bids. "We called for tenders for a fourlane grade separator at Red Hills-Kolathur junction on February 28," said an official.
The highways' plan to widen GST Road between Tambaram and Irumbaliyur —a distance of 1km—is also stuck. Last year, the government had sanctioned Rs 43 crore for the work. "Initially we had planned to open the tenders by end of March. Now, we will have to wait," said another official.
The worst affected perhaps is chief minister J Jayalalithaa's pet project, monorail for Chennai. The state transport corporation envisioned completing it by March 2017. The due date for receiving applications from potential bidders was March 3, the corporation planned to sell bid documents to shortlisted companies on April 2 and open bids for scrutiny on May 5. They have no explanation for how they planned the project in the midst of elections. An official said, "The opening of bids may not happen till the model code of conduct is lifted."
Chennai metro rail's first phase, stuck owing to termination of a contract for construction of 10 stations, is another cause for concern. Completion of seven stations is crucial for inauguration of the first phase between Koyambedu and Alandur by the end of the year. So far, an alternative contractor has not been identified. Officials claim they may get special permission from the Election Commission to finalise the contract."The model code of conduct may not affect us because tenders have been floated. We can take permission from EC and award the contract," said an official.
Work on two grade separators at Red Hills and Tambaram will be held up owing to delay in finalising bids. "We called for tenders for a fourlane grade separator at Red Hills-Kolathur junction on February 28," said an official.
The highways' plan to widen GST Road between Tambaram and Irumbaliyur —a distance of 1km—is also stuck. Last year, the government had sanctioned Rs 43 crore for the work. "Initially we had planned to open the tenders by end of March. Now, we will have to wait," said another official.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
EDSA / Roosevelt - Congressional Ave. Interchange
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
2-second level flyovers (3-lane each direction) along EDSA with LRT 1 Extension at the center, including at-grade level service lanes (573.5 lm.).
PROJECT LOCATION
EDSA / Roosevelt - Congressional Ave.
PROJECT MAP
2-second level flyovers (3-lane each direction) along EDSA with LRT 1 Extension at the center, including at-grade level service lanes (573.5 lm.).
PROJECT LOCATION
EDSA / Roosevelt - Congressional Ave.
PROJECT MAP
Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. / Makati Ave. - Paseo De Roxas Vehicle Underpass Project
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Along Senator Gil Puyat Avenue (Buendia), Makati City
- 4-lane (2 meter lanes each direction) underpass which would run under the intersection of Makati Avenue and Paseo De Roxas with a total length of 880 meters (600 meter underpass and 280 meter approaches)
Along Senator Gil Puyat Avenue (Buendia), Makati City
IMPLEMENTING AGENCY
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Unified Project Management Office
CONTACT PERSON
Director Virgilio C. Castillo at +63 0917-530-4049 call and +63-2 304-3658
CONSTRUCTION PERIOD
August 2014 – April 2016
C2 (Gov. Forbes St.) / R7 (España St.) Interchange
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
- 4-lane, 2 directions third level flyover (685 lm) along Gov. Forbes, St. crossing R7 with a proposed MRT Line 9 at the second level along España Blvd.
- Along Gov. Forbes St. crossing R7
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