President-elect Rodrigo Duterte arrives via helicopter at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City on Wednesday to preside over the first meeting of his incoming Cabinet outside Davao City.(MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – The Duterte administration is seriously looking at installing cable cars to solve the gridlock in Metro Manila, incoming Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said.
Exploratory talks with a company that manufactured cable cars for Bolivia is ongoing, Tugade noted in an interview on national television Tuesday.
However, he clarified that there is no definite plan yet – only a concept.
“’Yung cable cars pinag-aaralan definitely… Ito ho, hinihiram ko ‘yung Bolivia experience kung saan mayroong mga cable car,” the incoming Cabinet official said.
“Uumpishan mo muna ‘yan sa area ng Pasig, then EDSA, ito ‘yung mga gondola na may 35-passenger capacity,” he added.
Tugade noted cable cars are better than constructing more roads that can further worsen traffic jams.
“Kaya ko napag-isipan ‘yan, kasi pag nagdagdag tayo ng kalsada at nag-construct tayo eh lalo magkakatraffic. Kung gusto mo ng additional capacity pumunta ka sa itaas,” he said.
He added that installing cable cars will not only solve the traffic problem but also involves the concept of for “scenic purposes.”
For the long-term, Tugade said he will suggest using cable cars from Sta. Rosa, Laguna to Makati City, with stations in between.
“Pinag-aaralan po ‘yung detalye maybe, it’s not technically accurate on my part to decide, but, suffice it to say for the moment that it is seriously being looked into,” he noted.
Once approved, the cable cars will be operational in one year and six months, Tugade said.(MNS)