LRT-2 to reopen Santolan to Anonas stations on January 22

MANILA, Philippines — The Santolan, Katipunan, and Anonas stations of LRT-2 is set to resume operations on Friday, a year after it closed down due to a fire caused by a power rectifier that tripped.

The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) said in a statement Thursday that the first commercial train trip from Santolan station will start at 5 a.m. on January 22, while its last commercial train trip will be at 8:30 p.m.

LRT-2’s end station, Recto, on the other hand, will have its first commercial train trip at 5 a.m., and its last commercial train trip at 9 p.m.

It was in October 2019 when a power rectifier tripped and caught fire in between the LRT-2’s  Santolan and Katipunan stations.

Initially, LRTA said it will take them nine months to repair the damage.

“We will resume whole line operations with limitations and restrictions while the full restoration and repairs of the fire-damaged Rectifier Substation (RSS) Nos. 5 and 6, signaling and telecommunications are simultaneously being undertaken,” LRTA Administrator Reynaldo Berroya said.

Despite the resumption of full operations, Berroya appealed to passengers to allot more time in their travel as the headway, or the time before another train arrives at the station, will take an average of 14 minutes. This is because a speed restriction of 30 kilometers per hour needs to be implemented when the train approaches the Anonas station, he said.

Because of the speed restriction, Berroya said that travel time from Santolan to Recto will take 35 minutes, instead of the average 28 minutes when the system is in “good and normal condition.”

Berroya likewise reminded passengers that the mandatory wearing of face mask and face shield, thermal scanning, regulated entry of passengers, physical distancing, and “no talking policy” are being implemented inside the stations and trains.