The Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT 3) will be able to accommodate more passengers by December 2017 when the power upgrade for additional trains is completed, an official said Monday.
Engr. Deo Leo Manalo, MRT 3 director for operations, said the number of passengers per direction is targeted to be increased from the current 17,730 to 23,600, while the daily estimated ridership will be from 600,000 to 700,000 passengers.
“When there are more trains operating in MRT 3, we need additional power. Currently, ang kaya ng MRT is a certain number, which is 20 trains. If we run more trains, we need more power,” Manalo told the Senate public services committee.
“The power will be completed by November; and by December, pwede na tayo magdagdag ng additional trains,” he added.
Several MRT breakdowns in the past months have prompted the Senate to conduct an inquiry on the supposed inefficient management and maintenance of the train system.
Senator Grace Poe, chair of the committee, said the maintenance and operation of the MRT “are beset with so many problems that it appears that the only solution is to overhaul it completely.”
Poe also slammed the “insensibility of public officials” over the MRT’s frequent breakdowns and the purchase of unusable trains for the capacity expansion project.
“One thing that ticks me the most, aside from the blatant misuse of funds by entering into disadvantageous contracts, is the insensibility of public officials to the plight of the Filipino riding public,” Poe said.
“Hindi ba’t buwis nila ang pinambabayad sa pag-aayos at pagmementena ng mga tren at pagbili sa mga bagong mga bagon? Kung ganun, e di dapat masulit naman ang pinambabayad nila,” she added.
It was earlier reported that new light rail vehicles (LRVs) purchased from China’s Dalian for P3.8 billion will remain unusable for the next three years because it has no signaling system.
Manalo explained during the hearing that Dalian’s train signaling is “compatible” with the MRT trains.
He said the problem is with the “communication between the train computer and the ATP” or the Automatic Train Protection system.
“Sa test na nangyari, hindi natanggap ng ATP 'yung feedback na binigay ng computer. To make the train safe, the ATP instructs for emergency brake but 'yung computer execute 'yung emergency brake. Ang naging problema, 'yung communication between the train computer and the ATP,” Manalo said.
“We’re targeting to solve the feedback issue within the month,” the MRT official assured. —KG, GMA News
- See more at: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/companies/610776/more-mrt-trains-by-yearend-official-says/story/#sthash.L6nwnkae.dpuf
Engr. Deo Leo Manalo, MRT 3 director for operations, said the number of passengers per direction is targeted to be increased from the current 17,730 to 23,600, while the daily estimated ridership will be from 600,000 to 700,000 passengers.
“When there are more trains operating in MRT 3, we need additional power. Currently, ang kaya ng MRT is a certain number, which is 20 trains. If we run more trains, we need more power,” Manalo told the Senate public services committee.
“The power will be completed by November; and by December, pwede na tayo magdagdag ng additional trains,” he added.
Several MRT breakdowns in the past months have prompted the Senate to conduct an inquiry on the supposed inefficient management and maintenance of the train system.
Senator Grace Poe, chair of the committee, said the maintenance and operation of the MRT “are beset with so many problems that it appears that the only solution is to overhaul it completely.”
Poe also slammed the “insensibility of public officials” over the MRT’s frequent breakdowns and the purchase of unusable trains for the capacity expansion project.
“One thing that ticks me the most, aside from the blatant misuse of funds by entering into disadvantageous contracts, is the insensibility of public officials to the plight of the Filipino riding public,” Poe said.
“Hindi ba’t buwis nila ang pinambabayad sa pag-aayos at pagmementena ng mga tren at pagbili sa mga bagong mga bagon? Kung ganun, e di dapat masulit naman ang pinambabayad nila,” she added.
It was earlier reported that new light rail vehicles (LRVs) purchased from China’s Dalian for P3.8 billion will remain unusable for the next three years because it has no signaling system.
Manalo explained during the hearing that Dalian’s train signaling is “compatible” with the MRT trains.
He said the problem is with the “communication between the train computer and the ATP” or the Automatic Train Protection system.
“Sa test na nangyari, hindi natanggap ng ATP 'yung feedback na binigay ng computer. To make the train safe, the ATP instructs for emergency brake but 'yung computer execute 'yung emergency brake. Ang naging problema, 'yung communication between the train computer and the ATP,” Manalo said.
“We’re targeting to solve the feedback issue within the month,” the MRT official assured. —KG, GMA News
- See more at: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/companies/610776/more-mrt-trains-by-yearend-official-says/story/#sthash.L6nwnkae.dpuf
