DOTC confirms expiry of its agreement with SM Prime Holdings with regard to the location of the proposed MRT and LRT common station

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has stated that its agreement with SM Prime Holdings, with regard to the location of the proposed PhP 1.4 billion mass rail transit (MRT) and LRT common station, has expired three years ago. This statement comes after SM Prime filed a case against DOTC and the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) at the Pasay City regional trial court. The company is seeking an injunction to stop the government from relocating the planned common station to the Trinoma Mall, instead of the SM North EDSA Mall. According to DOTC, the MoA signed by SM Prime and LRTA, which was approved by NEDA in July 2009, had already lapsed in 2011. Further, DOTC has stated that the 2013 NEDA approval, which is currently in effect, allows the common station to be built in a more advantageous location.