The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is deploying more and faster trains running in the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) to compensate the reduced passenger capacity starting today, June 1.
From 15 train sets before the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), passengers will see 19 train sets running in MRT-3 when Metro Manila transitions into general community quarantine (GCQ).
“Starting Monday, trains will no longer be 14 or 15. Nineteen will be used. In this way, the number of trips will increase, as well as the number of riders, despite the limited capacity (of the MRT-3),” DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade said.
Moreover, from a pre-ECQ operating speed of 30 kilometers per hour (kph), trains will be running at up to 40 kph starting at certain sections of the MRT-3 mainline, specifically between North Avenue and Santolan Stations, and between Buendia and Taft Stations, the DOTr said.
“This will reduce headway, or the time between trains, from an average of nine minutes pre-ECQ to an average of six minutes upon resumption of operations,” it added.
The DOTr attributed the increase in the number of train sets and operating speed to the progress in rail replacement works conducted by MRT-3 during ECQ and modified ECQ, and the agreement of Sumitomo and the concurrence of the Japan International Cooperation Agency to deploy three Dalian train sets to add capacity to MRT-3 during GCQ operations. (Ellalyn de Vera-Ruiz)