The Department of Transportation said it expects to complete all rail replacement works at Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3 by September this year, ahead of its February 2021 target date.
The agency sped up rehabilitation works despite the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine order in Luzon.
Rail replacement works were previously done from 11 in the evening to 4 in the morning only, or during the non-operating hours of the MRT-3 line. Since resumption of rail replacement works was approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases on April 6, working hours were extended from 7 in the evening to 5 in the morning.
The MRT-3 management now expects all rail replacement works to be completed as early as September 30, 2020.
About 36,540 linear meters out of 65,892 linear meters of rail have been replaced (55.45 percent), out of which 5,616 linear meters were replaced during the ECQ period.
The installation of six pieces of long welded rails from the GMA-Kamuning Station to the Araneta-Cubao Station (Southbound) was finished on April 15, while 14 LWRs were completely installed from the Araneta-Cubao Station to the Santolan-Annapolis Station (Southbound) last April 23.
Rail replacement works from the Santolan-Annapolis Station to the Ortigas Station started on May 2.
After completion of rail replacement activities, the MRT-3 will conduct a system check on October 2020 to test the alignment of tracks, overhead catenary system and even the signaling and communications systems of the mainline.
Once all rail replacement activities are completed, the operating speed of MRT-3’s trains are expected to increase gradually from the current 30 kph to 40 kph by October, 50 kph by November and 60 kph by December.
The increased speed will translate into a lower headway, or waiting time between trains, from the current 8.5 minutes down to 3.5 minutes. Along with the increase in operational trains from the current 15 up to 20, MRT-3’s capacity is expected to double from the current 300,000 to 600,000 passengers a day.
The rail replacement is also intended to reduce vibration-caused breakdowns, increased reliability of the rail system, and lesser passenger delays.
Aside from the rail replacement activities, the comprehensive rehab works under Sumitomo-MHI-TESP also includes general overhaul of all 72 Light Rail Vehicles of the MRT-3, rehabilitation of power and overhead catenary systems, upgrade of the signaling system, communications and CCTV systems, repair of all MRT-3’s escalators and elevators, among other system repairs and improvements.