The Transportation Department said Monday it expects congestion at Metro Rail Transit Line 3 to ease in the second quarter, following the arrival of second light rail vehicle from China.
The agency said the second of 48 new LRVs was presently undergoing static testing to be followed by dynamic testing, such as checks on acceleration and braking, which was scheduled later this week to ensure the reliability of components.
The first LRV arrived last year, as a part of the MRT 3 capacity expansion project.
Two more LRVs will be delivered this month, which means a three-LRV train could be completed and rolled out as early as March, after all the necessary assessments.
“The riding public will see a 67-percent increase in passenger capacity after the delivery of four LRVs per month from March until January 2017,” the agency said.
The Transportation Department awarded the P3.759-billion MRT 3 capacity expansion project to China’s Dalian Locomotive & Rolling Stock Co. CNR Group.
The MRT-3 capacity expansion project aims to decongest Metro Manila’s busiest railway system by boosting its capacity to over 800,000 daily passengers from its current capacity of 350,000 daily passengers.
All refurbished Schindler-brand escalators of MRT 3 are also now open for public use, providing some relief to commuters, the agency said.
“Passengers can expect a more convenient commuting experience with the rehabilitated escalators now up and running. The restoration of these conveyance facilities is a small step towards long-term progress that will make a valuable difference in the lives of daily commuters,” said Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya.
The P22.11-million project was awarded to Jardine Schindler Elevator Corp. in June 2015 through the Department of Budget and Management’s Procurement Service. The contractor holds proprietary rights to rehabilitate the 12 Schindler-brand escalators as the brand’s exclusive distributor.
The project also involves rehabilitating 34 Mitsubishi-brand facilities and replacing 32 elevators, which are currently under procurement by the PS-DBM.
The Transportation Department earlier awarded the long-term maintenance contract of MRT 3 to the joint venture of Busan Transportation Corp., Edison Development & Construction, Tramat Mercantile Inc., TMICorp Inc. and Castan Corp. for P3.81 billion.
The three-year contract will allow the new service provider to procure the necessary spare parts needed to increase the number of operating trains, especially during peak hours.
The P3.81-billion contract also covers the general overhaul of the trains and the total replacement of the signaling system.
Running from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City, MRT 3 serves nearly 500,000 passengers a day, beyond its rated capacity of 350,000.
The rail system has a fleet of 73 Czech-made air-conditioned rail cars, of which only 24 three-car trains operate daily because other trains require repair.