The full rehabilitation process on the Metro Rail Transit line 3 (MRT-3) will be finished by the first quarter of 2021, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said on Sunday.
The rehabilitation plan of the government will span for 26 months after the Philippines and Japan signed a loan agreement on Thursday.
“Inaasahan nating matatapos by the 26th month, so mula January 2019, magre-rehab ‘yan buong 2019-2020 at hanggang sa 1st quarter ng 2021 at doon matatapos ang kabuuang rehabilitation,” DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said in an interview with dzBB.
Despite the upgrade on the line, Batan has assured the public that there would be no fare increase for the MRT-3.
Part of the rehabilitation process is the rollout of the Dalian trains on the line, Batan said. Currently, one Dalian train has been rolled out on the tracks of the MRT-3.
Batan said that the government still has to ensure the safety of the trains before it could fully rollout other Dalian trains on the line.
“Ang dahilan kung bakit isang train set pa lang napapatakbo natin ay dahil tatlong bagon pa lang ang nakakatapos sa mahabang listahan ng testing and commissioning procedures,” he said.
“Isang buong train set ng Dalian train na binubuo ng tatlong bagon. ‘Yan ay kasalukuyang dumaraan sa gradual deployment at pinapatakbo natin tuwing off peak hours at saka natin titingnan kung pwede natin iakyat during peak hours,” he added.
A new service hours has been set by the MRT-3 management for the Dalian train in order to reach the 150-hour requirement by next month.
On Saturday, the three-coach train of Dalian started to ferry passengers on full operations during weekends. However, on weekdays, the train would only operate on off-peak hours.
A total of 48 Dalian coaches were purchased during the Aquino administration for the MRT-3, but were stored in the MRT-3 depot for three years due to alleged “compatibility issues.” /je
Monday, November 12, 2018
North-south commuter railway will require P5-B subsidies–Neda
FILIPINO taxpayers need to extend an average of P5 billion worth of subsidies for the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System approved by a Cabinet panel, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).
Apart from the subsidy, the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) Cabinet Committee (CabCom) last week also recommended to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) the generation of additional revenues on account of the 76-percent increase in the project’s cost.
With the change in scope of the project, the total cost of the NSCR, a project of the DOTr and Philippine National Railways (PNR), increased to P777.55 billion, from P440.88 billion. The project is funded by loans from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
“The government will subsidize an average of P5 billion per year to cover capital, operating and renewal costs of the project—an investment that is expected to generate substantial economic activity, create more jobs, increase incomes and deliver a more comfortable commuting experience,” the Neda said in a statement.
“The DOTr was instructed by the Committee to implement measures that would allow the national government to maximize non-farebox revenues, such as incremental taxes from increased property value through revenue-sharing arrangements with concerned LGUs and through the development of national government properties in the project area,” it added.
The increase in project cost is attributed to three factors as determined by the detailed engineering designs, such as the shift to elevated viaducts instead of at-grade structures to improve operational efficiencies and safety.
The Neda said factors pushing up costs include the adoption of standard gauge instead of narrow gauge, in compliance with government standards to ensure seamless operations for all sections; and the increase in the number of trains and change from single to double tracks for the Malolos-Clark Railway Project (MCRP).
The cost will also cover resettlement activities, meeting the social and environmental safeguards of the ADB and JICA. This will also ensure proper housing and welfare support for around 12,901 affected informal settler families.
The project will bring together the NSCR Phase 1 (Malolos-Tutuban), the PNR South Commuter Railway (Solis-Calamba) and the MCRP, creating a 147-kilometer elevated, double-track and seamless connection from Clark International Airport to Los Banos, Laguna, with 36 stations.
The NSCR System will link with existing railway lines such as the LRT 1, LRT 2 and MRT 3, as well as with the upcoming Metro Manila Subway.
According to the DOTr, the NSCR System, compared to other railway projects in Asia, is more cost-effective. Per kilometer, the project costs about $100 million.
The rail system is expected to be partially operational by 2022 with a daily ridership of 340,000 passengers. It will be fully operational by 2023 with a daily ridership of 550,000 passengers.
Apart from the subsidy, the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) Cabinet Committee (CabCom) last week also recommended to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) the generation of additional revenues on account of the 76-percent increase in the project’s cost.
With the change in scope of the project, the total cost of the NSCR, a project of the DOTr and Philippine National Railways (PNR), increased to P777.55 billion, from P440.88 billion. The project is funded by loans from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
“The government will subsidize an average of P5 billion per year to cover capital, operating and renewal costs of the project—an investment that is expected to generate substantial economic activity, create more jobs, increase incomes and deliver a more comfortable commuting experience,” the Neda said in a statement.
“The DOTr was instructed by the Committee to implement measures that would allow the national government to maximize non-farebox revenues, such as incremental taxes from increased property value through revenue-sharing arrangements with concerned LGUs and through the development of national government properties in the project area,” it added.
The increase in project cost is attributed to three factors as determined by the detailed engineering designs, such as the shift to elevated viaducts instead of at-grade structures to improve operational efficiencies and safety.
The Neda said factors pushing up costs include the adoption of standard gauge instead of narrow gauge, in compliance with government standards to ensure seamless operations for all sections; and the increase in the number of trains and change from single to double tracks for the Malolos-Clark Railway Project (MCRP).
The cost will also cover resettlement activities, meeting the social and environmental safeguards of the ADB and JICA. This will also ensure proper housing and welfare support for around 12,901 affected informal settler families.
The project will bring together the NSCR Phase 1 (Malolos-Tutuban), the PNR South Commuter Railway (Solis-Calamba) and the MCRP, creating a 147-kilometer elevated, double-track and seamless connection from Clark International Airport to Los Banos, Laguna, with 36 stations.
The NSCR System will link with existing railway lines such as the LRT 1, LRT 2 and MRT 3, as well as with the upcoming Metro Manila Subway.
According to the DOTr, the NSCR System, compared to other railway projects in Asia, is more cost-effective. Per kilometer, the project costs about $100 million.
The rail system is expected to be partially operational by 2022 with a daily ridership of 340,000 passengers. It will be fully operational by 2023 with a daily ridership of 550,000 passengers.
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