No overhaul for LRT, MRT this year

MANILA, Philippines – Metro Manila’s elevated railways will not undergo their yearly rehabilitation and repair during the Holy Week break, raising concerns among engineers and maintenance personnel of the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA).

Sources told The STAR that the LRTA management, headed by administrator Rafael Rodriguez, decided not to push through with the annual overhaul due to an alleged failure to procure spare parts needed for the maintenance of the rail tracks and coaches.

Aside from the LRT Lines 1 (Baclaran to Quezon City route) and 2 (Santolan to Recto route), the Metro Rail Transit’s EDSA line will also not undergo repairs, they said.

“Since the replacement of the contact wires may be deferred due to the non-availability of materials, we propose contact wire splicing using the remaining wires available at the LRTA warehouse,’’ LRT Line 1 rehabilitation and maintenance project coordinator Dennis Acorda said in an internal memorandum to LRTA deputy administrator Emerson Benitez.

Acorda’s memo was also addressed to Julito Bernales, officer-in-charge of the LRTA’s engineering and maintenance department; and Lorelie Reyes, OIC of the Line 1 rolling stock and interrelated systems division.

With the non-replacement of catenary wires, LRTA insiders said the safety of commuters could be put at risk.

 “But the proposal is a short-term measure to sustain the operations of the railway system. Replacement of contact wires must be done on the next Holy Week of 2013,” Acorda said.

In previous years, the LRTA stops operating the rail lines during the Lenten break to give way to repairs and maintenance of the rail tracks and coaches.

The LRTA, under the leadership of Rodriguez, acquired a “non-crucial” closed-circuit television system worth P80 million, sources said.