(SPOT.ph) In a press conference on July 17, Department of Transportation Sec. Arthur Tugade announced that the daily operating trains of the MRT-3 will soon be reduced to 12 from the current 15. This is to make way for the maintenance and rehabilitation of the MRT-3 line, which will be done in cooperation with Japanese company Sumitomo Corporation. The rehabilitation program is slated to begin in August as soon as the loan agreement with the Japan International Cooperation Agency is signed, and is expected to last for 43 months—or three years and seven months.Â
The MRT-3 rehabilitation program aims to restore the 72 coaches of the railway system back to its original condition. Repairs will include the trains, the railway tracks, the power supply system, and the station facilities, as well as depot equipment. Sec. Tugade noted that after the rehabilitation, commuters may expect better service, shorter waiting time for trains, and better air-conditioning.
No exact date has been announced for the start of the MRT-3's rehabilitation.
