INQUIRER.net / 07:54 PM February 04, 2023

MANILA, Philippines – The Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) has completed the overhauling of its 72 light rail vehicles (LRVs), the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said.


In a statement, the DOTr said the train system has passed a series of quality and system checks to ensure the train sets were “restored in good condition and is safe for commercial use.”


“The completion of the overhauling of the 23-year-old fleet will significantly increase the rail line’s passenger capacity with 18 to 20 train sets expected to be deployed during peak hours,” the agency said.


According to the DOTr, only around 10 to 15 trains were deployed before the overhaul of the LRVs.


For his part, Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista passengers can expect comfortable, convenient, and safe transport with the deployment of more train sets in MRT-3.


Furthermore, the completion of the rehabilitation shortened the interval of waiting time between trains in MRT-3 from the previous 9.5 minutes to 4 minutes.


“Now that we have completed the overhaul of the 72 LRVs of the MRT-3, we expect more passengers to patronize the rail line, especially during rush hour,” Bautista said.


The travel time was reduced from 1 hour and 45 minutes from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City to 45 minutes with the 60 kilometers per hour (kph) increased train speed from the previous 25 to 30 kph.


Secretary Bautista pointed out that the overhaul was completed three months ahead of its initial target of May 2023.


—Mae Anne F. Bilolo, INQUIRER.net intern