The Department of Transportation (DoTr) is expecting that Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) can proceed with the construction of the Cavite leg of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) Extension within the next two years as a right-of-way (ROW) acquisition nears completion.

In an interview on Friday, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the ROW acquisition for the train line alignment already clocked in at a 94 percent completion rate.

“Construction will not immediately start because the project proponent still has to complete the detailed engineering design and we have to review that again. It’s part of their deliverables. LRMC plays a big role here because civil works are their responsibility,” Bautista said.

The DoTr is responsible for helping the private proponent secure the needed ROW for the project.

The entire LRT-1 Cavite Extension project covers major cities such as Quezon City, Caloocan, Manila, Pasay and Parañaque. It is designed to cater to up to 800,000 passengers daily.

LRMC announced that Phase 1 of the LRT extension is nearing its intended date of commercial operations, which is scheduled within the last quarter of the year.