DOTC hires new consultant for MRT system

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has tapped a consultant for the signalling and communications system of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) along EDSA.

DOTC assistant secretary Jaime Fortunato Caringal issued a notice of award to Stephen Deacon to serve as technical consultant for the mass transit system’s signalling and communications system.

“Based on the findings of the Bids and Awards Committee pursuant to BAC Resolution No. P-CS –AMP 2015 -11 dated Feb. 21, the contract for the engagement of a highly technical consultant for signalling and communications for the MRT-3 capa-city expansion project is hereby awarded to Stephen Deacon,” Caringal said.

He pointed out that the value of the contract is P3 million for a period of six months from the receipt of the notice to proceed and renewable at the option of the DOTC.

Deacon is based in Central Java in Indonesia.

Last September, the DOTC tapped a Hong Kong-based consultant for the ongoing P3.8-billion capacity expansion project involving the acquisition of 48 brand new trains for MRT-3.

The agency awarded a P2.73 million contract to Neil Heaton to serve as highly technical consultant for rolling stock and depot equipment for the MRT-3 capacity expansion program.

The DOTC awarded the MRT-3 capacity expansion project to CNR Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stock Co. of China for the acquisition of 48 brand-new light rail vehicles. 

The new train cars are the crucial solution to long lines by increasing passenger capacity by 66 percent to 800,000 per day from the current 350,000. This means that the current three-car configuration would be made into four-car sets arriving at 2.5-minute intervals instead of the current three-minute intervals.

Abaya said the prototype unit of the new train cars would be tested on the system by August next year and three to four brand-new trains would be delivered every month thereafter.

The entire fleet of 48 trains, he added, would be delivered in December 2016.

The DOTC said a total of 11 projects worth close to P10 billion are being undertaken to improve the operations and decongest the MRT-3 that caters to about 550,000 passengers per day, way above its design capacity of 350,000 per day.

The bidding of the three-year maintenance contract worth P2.3 billion replacing the current operator Autre Potre Technique (APT) Global has failed twice and the DOTC is looking at a negotiated procurement.

Meanwhile, another P1.15 billion has been earmarked for the rehabilitation of 28 aging trains of MRT-3 while the AF Consortium led by infrastructure giant Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) and conglomerate Ayala Corp. is spending P1.09 billion to establish the automated fare collection system (AFCS) to be fully operational by September next year. 

Other projects include the P870-million upgrade of ancillary systems; the P185- million upgrade of the signalling system and computer software; the P119.5-million replacement of 500 pieces of old rail tracks; the P110-million replacement and upgrading of the entire radio communication system; the P94.5-million replacement of train engine motors; the P50-million replacement of obsolete elevators and escalators; and the P13.7-million additional footbridge at the North Ave.  

The 16.9-kilometer mass transit system along EDSA was constructed as part of an integrated strategy to alleviate traffic congestion along EDSA. The rail system had a fleet of 73 modern and air-conditioned rail cars built by CKD Doprovni System of Prague in the Czech Republic.