The Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) approved the proposed weekly shut down of the Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3) as confirmed by MRT General Manager Ramon Buenafe. According to the MRT Gen. Manager, his proposal to schedule a window time for rail replacement got the approval of the DOTC Secretary Jun Abaya.
Based upon the proposal, the MRT operations will be close early Saturday 9PM and will open 12 noon on Sunday to make way for the rail replacement. The window time will be enough to replace 150 meters of rail according to MRT.
The MRT Gen. Manager also noted that the uneven surface of the rails is the biggest problem of the MRT’s maintenance department since it causes sudden stops and slows the speed of trains.
Aside from the above mentioned reasons, what is hindering the rail replacement project is the lack of welding kits, there are only three welding kits available to repair one rail breakage.
The MRT also ordered 150 kits that should have been delivered on Friday, but since the delivery did not arrive, Buenafe has move the scheduled temporary shutdown. Once the welding kits are complete, Buenafe will implement the temporary shutdown of MRT operations.
