DOTC can now buy additional trains for MRT-3 after winning court case

FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line-3 will finally be able to add more trains after the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) won a court case in the Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC).

“The DOTC successfully fought for public interest and defended its position in court,” DOTC Secretary Joseph Emilio “Jun” Abaya said in a statement Monday.

“The supplier can now start manufacturing the 48 brand new Light Rail Vehicles, which will be delivered in tranches starting in the second half of 2015,” he said.

The Makati RTC dismissed the injunction case filed by MRT Holdings II, Inc. last February 21 allowing the DOTC to issue the Notice to Proceed to a Chinese company that will manufacture the brand new LRVs.

Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stock Company, which won the public bidding, held in 2013, has 18 months to deliver the first prototype which will be used for testing on the MRT system.

“It should then deliver the remaining LRVs in tranches over the next 18 months,” DOTC said.

The Chinese company however has committed to deliver the first prototype within 12 months, it said.

With the addition of the 48 LRVs, MRT will have 4-coach trains arriving at stations every 2.5 minutes.

“Our commuters deserve better services at MRT-3, and the addition of more LRVs is long overdue,” Abaya said.

The Metro Rail Transit Corporation (MRTC), a private consortium that maintains the MRT system, has a separate case against the DOTC that is under arbitration proceedings in Singapore.

More than half a million commuters ride the MRT on a daily basis despite its capacity of around 350,000 thousand. Commuters have long complained at the heavily congested train coaches that are also subject to frequent breakdowns.

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