The Department of Transportation (DOTr) took to social media to re-affirm its commitment of finishing its projected 14 stations for the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) stretching from San Jose del Monte (SJDM), Bulacan to North Avenue in Quezon City.

“The Department of Transportation wishes to clarify that the MRT-7 project will still operate with 14 stations, contrary to circulating reports that only 13 stations will push through,” the DOTr said in a statement.

Of the 14 original stops, the station in SJDM, Bulacan was rumored to be removed from the route as a discussion was supposedly had between officials of the local government unit and the Transportation agency.

However, the DOTr reiterated that the mentioned station would remain part of the railway and was not removed or changed in accordance to its approved alignment.

It further noted that construction of the first 12 stations of the route, going from North Avenue to Sacred Heart in Caloocan was still on track of its targeted operational date in the second quarter of 2027.

As for the final two stations, the DOTr said that operations for both Tala and SJDM would begin in 2028.

In a recent radio interview on True FM, Transportation Secretary Giovanni “Banoy” Lopez mentioned that he was confident that the railways initial 12 stations would be operational by the projected date as significant progress had already been made in terms of construction.

“As of now, the overall progress on the 12 stations is around 87 percent, but the seven stations from Tandang Sora to the 12 station I think around 95 percent,” he said in Filipino.

To recall, the MRT-7 project officially broke ground in April of 2016 before officially beginning construction in August of the same year.