LRT imposes crowd control measures

Light Rail Transit. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Light Rail Transit Authority implemented early Monday crowd control measures in some of its stations in anticipation for the opening of classes in Metro Manila, its spokesman said.

LRTA spokesman Attorney Hernando Cabrera said crowd control was implemented in Roosevelt, Balintawak, Monumento, 5^th Avenue, and Abad Santos stations since around 6:40 a.m. as passengers, including students, trooped to LRT stations for a train ride.

Under the crowd control rule, Cabrera said the management limits the number of passengers to be allowed inside particular stations.

“Mas maganda ito kasi with the crowd control, wala nang balyahan, tulakan, ipitan,” Cabrera said.

“Iwas mandurukot din,” the spokesman added.

In Roosevelt station, the crowd was limited to 200 passengers, 100 in Balintawak, 300 in Monumento, 100 in 5^th Avenue, and roughly 50 to 80 in Abad Santos.

Cabrera explained that if they would not implement this, trains would be full already by the time it passes Roosevelt and passengers in succeeding stations would not be able to fit in.

The crowd control rule, he said, has been implemented in a daily basis since last week in anticipation of the resumption of classes. It starts at around 7 a.m. until around 9 a.m.

The ruling is “not yet perfect,” but adjustments are being taken, Cabrera said.

“Parehas lang naman ang waiting time. Kapag nasa platform ka na, makakasakay ka na agad,” he said.