page_title: LRT Line 2 (Metro Manila)
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: LRT Line 2 (Metro Manila) / History
caption_attribution_description: English: MRT-2 Viaduct near Marikina River
context_page_description: The Light Rail Transit Line 2, also known as LRT Line 2, and previously MRT Line 2 or Megatren, is a rapid transit line in Metro Manila in the Philippines, generally running in an east–west direction along the Radial Road 6 and a portion of the Circumferential Road 1.
  Although the line is operated by the Light Rail Transit Authority, resulting in it being called as "LRT-2", it is actually a heavy rail, rapid transit system owing to its use of electric multiple units instead of the light rail vehicles used in earlier lines and is presently the only line utilizing such vehicles in the country until the opening of MRT Line 7 in 2020 and the Metro Manila Subway in 2025.
  Envisioned in the 1970s as part of the Metropolitan Manila Strategic Mass Rail Transit Development Plan, the eleven-station, 16.75-kilometer line was the third rapid transit line to be built in Metro Manila when it started operations in 2003. It is operated by the Light Rail Transit Authority, a government-owned and controlled corporation attached to the Department of Transportation under an official development assistance scheme.
context_section_description: During the construction of the first line of the Manila Light Rail Transit System in the early 1980s, Electrowatt Engineering Services of Zürich designed a comprehensive plan for metro service in Metro Manila.  The plan—still used as the basis for planning new metro lines—consisted of a 150-kilometer (93 mi) network of rapid transit lines spanning all major corridors within 20 years, including a line on the Radial Road 6 alignment, one of the region's busiest road corridor.
  The Line 2 project officially began in 1996, twelve years after the opening of Line 1, with the granting of the soft loans for the line's construction. However, construction barely commenced, with the project stalled as the Philippine government conducted several investigations into alleged irregularities with the project's contract. The consortium of local and foreign companies, led by Marubeni Corporation, formed the Asia-Europe MRT Consortium (AEMC) which won the contract and restarted the project in 2000 after getting cleared from the allegations.
  The AEMC was subsequently given the approval to commence construction by the DOTC and LRTA. The LRTA would have ownership of the system and assume all administrative functions, such as the regulation of fares and operations as well as the responsibility over construction and maintenance of the system and the procurement of spare parts for trains.
  Construction started in March 1996 after the LRTA signed the first three packages of the agreement with Sumitomo Corporation delivering Package 1 in which covers the construction of the depot and its facilities, while the Hanjin-Itochu Joint Venture delivered packages 2 and 3 in which covers the substructure and the superstructure plus the stations respectively.  The final package which was the package 4 agreement was signed after several delays with Asia-Europe MRT Consortium which was composed of Marubeni Corporation, Balfour Beatty, Toshiba, Daewoo Heavy Industries, and a local company which was D.M. Consuji Incorporated (DMCI) in which includes the communications and fares systems, vehicles, and trackworks.
  During construction, the LRTA oversaw all the design, construction, equipping, testing, commissioning, and technical supervision of the project activities.
  On April 5, 2003, the initial section, from Santolan to Araneta Center-Cubao was inaugurated by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, with all remaining stations opening on April 5, 2004 except for Recto which opened on October 29, 2004. However, ridership was initially moderate yet still far below expectations, since the passenger volume in this line is not yet fully achieved.
  To address passenger complaints on earlier train lines, the LRTA made sure during the construction phase that the stations are PWD (Person(s) with disability) friendly by putting up escalators and elevators for easier access, as well as making passenger fares at par with the other existing lines.
caption: A eastbound train on the viaduct near Marikina River towards Santolan station
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