The Quezon City government has lifted the cease-and-desist order it issued against the construction of the Metro Rail Transit 7 Quezon Memorial Circle station following approval of its new design.
“Ni-lift na po ng city government ang cease-and-desist order ngayon dahil natuwa naman po kami na binigyang-halaga ang aming concerns,” Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said.
The Department of Transportation said that Quezon City officials and its stakeholders, including officials from the National Housing Authority, have approved the new design of the station presented by developer San Miguel Corp. and contractor EEI Corp.
Belmonte issued last week a temporary cease-and-desist order on the station’s above-ground construction, citing review of environmentalists and historians that the station located at QMC, the city’s most famous landmark and a heritage site, was “encroaching on the park’s integrity.”
“Today, we are very happy that we have succeeded not only in preserving our park, but at the same time, we have succeeded in ensuring that our people will have adequate mass transportation,” Belmonte added.
Concerned parties have also settled the issue on the project size after the Quezon City government discovered that it has greatly exceeded the agreed area for construction.
DoTr Undersecretary for Railways TJ Batan said that from the initial design of 11,000 square meters above ground, the final design will just be a 426-square meter above ground structure, with a height of only six to seven meters. (Alexandria San Juan)
