Limited work force, experts affected MRT3 rehab work during ECQ –exec

The Metro Rail Transit Line 3 cannot do its rehabilitation works during the COVID-19 enhanced community quarantine due to limited workers and the unavailability of supervising experts.

Interviewed on GMA News’ Unang Balita on Wednesday, MRT3 director for operations Michael Capati explained the matter in light of the announced four-weekend suspension of MRT3 services.

“Yan 'yung mga complicated na turnout na hindi kaya namin during with the period…During ECQ naman, limited din 'yung mga tao namin. Hindi lahat nakakapag-report doon sa aming service provider,” he said.

“Plus, kailangan din po namin 'yung mga Japanese expert na magsu-supervise doon sa aming railway rehabilitation,” he added.

Capati also cited the lockdowns as reason for not pursuing the rehabilitation plan during the ECQ period in Metro Manila.

On Tuesday, MRT3 announced that it will suspend its passenger operations for four weekends from July to September in a bid to fast-track the rail replacement works.

The suspended weekend operations were scheduled for July 4-5, August 8-9, August 21-23, and September 12-13, the MRT management said.

Last week, according to Vonne Aquino's report on "24 Oras",  an employee of Sumitomo-MHI-TESP was confirmed positive for  COVID-19 on June 14 after experiencing a sore throat.

“Rail replacement works to be done during the weekend suspension include turnout works for both the southbound and northbound tracks at North Avenue and Taft Avenue stations. Turnouts are used to enable trains to switch from one track to another,” MRT3 said in a statement.

“After rail replacement works are completed, train operating speed will gradually increase from 40kph to 60kph by December 2020, and headway, or the interval between trains, will gradually decrease to 3.5 minutes,” it added.

According to MRT3, the weekend suspension will enable rehab service provider Sumitomo-Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to execute rail destressing, rerailing, turnouts replacement, resurfacing, rail profile grinding, ballasting and tamping, and other major works for MRT3’s trains, electrical systems, and other subsystems.

“To accommodate MRT3’s weekend passengers during the weekend suspension of operations, MRT3, together with DOTr Road Sector and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTRFB), will implement its bus augmentation program,” MRT added. —LBG, GMA News