DOTC sees delivery of new MRT-3 trains by May 2016

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) expects the delivery of the additional 48 new trains under the P3.8-billion Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3 expansion project a month before President Aquino steps down in 2016.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said in a press conference that the prototype of the new trains is expected to be delivered by December next year and would be tested on the rails of MRT 3 along EDSA.

Abaya said the new trains would be delivered by batches and the last batch of delivery of the 48 new trains is scheduled in May 2016.

He said the agency’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) is now conducting post qualification procedures on the lone bidder that qualified for the bidding.

He added that China’s Dalian Locomotive & Rolling Stock Co. CNR Group qualified for the bidding and submitted a bid of P3.759 billion or P10 million lower than the approved budget for the contract of P3.769 billion.

Another Chinese firm CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co. Ltd. was disqualified by the BAC due to lack of certain technical requirements.

The DOTC chief declined to comment on how long the evaluation process would take.

Abaya said he would review the terms of reference for the bidding and would order a rebidding if he discovers that the terms favor a certain company or if any wrong doing is involved.

He said a total of five groups bought bidding documents, but only the two Chinese companies submitted their bids last June 11.

The three groups, including Czech-owned Inekon which earlier accused a group of government officials and private individuals of extorting $30 million from the company in exchange for the contract, did not submit a bid.

The DOTC is bidding a contract worth P3.8 billion for the supply and delivery of 48 new trains to augment the existing 73 Czech-made trains. Almost 600,000 passengers take the MRT 3 along a 16.9-kilometer stretch from North Ave. in Quezon City to Taft Ave. in Pasay using the current fleet.

Under the expansion program, the DOTC said the government would acquire 48 new trains to be able to use four-car trains that would arrive every 2.5 minutes during peak hours from the current system wherein three-car trains arrive every three minutes during peak hours.

The Philippine government also received offers for the supply and delivery of second hand trains from Metro de Madrid of Spain as well as the government of the Czech Republic that is allowed by Republic Act 9184, otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act.