The Philippine Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has postponed the pre-qualification stage of the tender process for the P65.1-billion (US$1.39 billion) Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 6 PPP project.

Interested parties had to submit their qualification documents on or before March 4, 2016. The deadline has now been delayed to May 12, a few days after the 2016 national and local elections.

This announcement comes after San Miguel Holdings Corporation and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) raised their concern on the tender process timeline.

The project involves the development of a 19 km elevated railway that will link Niyog, Bacoor, the terminus of the LRT 1 CAVEX extension, and Dasmariñas City. To be more specific, the project includes:

• Architectural, detailed engineering, systems design and construction of 19 km rail line from Niyog, Bacoor city to Dasmariñas city
• Procurement, testing and commissioning of all requires rolling stock, equipment and support infrastructure
• Operations and maintenance to the LTR 6 system to ensure minimum performance services standards under a 30-year concession agreement
• Project enhancement works covering whole-of-life investment for the project

The new line will have 7 stations including Niog, Tirona, Imus, Daang Hari, Salitran, Congressional Avenue, and Governor’s Drive.