The first phase of LRT Line 2, which is from Santolan, Pasig City to Cubao, Quezon City, will start operation in April next year. LRT Line 2, also known as Megatren, is the latest project of the LRTA.
LRTA administrator Teddy Cruz Jr. said the 13.8-kilometer mass rail system is expected to lessen the heavy traffic and speed up travel along Marcos Highway in Pasig and Marikina, Aurora Boulevard in Quezon City and San Juan, and Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard, Legarda and Recto in Manila.
"The travel woes being experienced by residents of eastern Metro Manila and Quezon City may soon be over with the start of operation of phase one," he said. Phase two will start operation in 2004.
Cruz said the project is one of the priority undertakings of President Arroyo to greatly ease traffic congestion in the metropolis and improve quality of life.
"Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza has been pushing us to fast-track the project to immediately benefit commuters," he added.
Cruz said the 16 coaches that arrived are part the first batch of 72 trains that will be delivered by the Asia-Europe MRT-2 consortium led by Marubeni Corp.
He said the trains are electrically driven using solid-state propulsion technology and travel up to 80 kilometers per hour at top speed. Once fully operational, travel time from Santolan, Pasig City, to Doroteo Jose in Manila will be less than 30 minutes.
Taro Hibi, commercial manager of Marubeni Corp., said the coaches were manufactured in Uiwang, Korea, and that they have conducted 8,000-kilometer test run for over two months to test the train’s durability.
The Megatren’s interior, which has perimeter benches made up of fiberglass-reinforced plastic, was designed to accommodate an estimated 1,600 passengers. The passenger seats are positioned along the side walls and there are designated spaces for the elderly and the disabled. Every four-car train has 20 sliding doors per side to facilitate quick and convenient boarding and alighting of passengers.
The trains will have two units of roof-mounted, air-conditioned system per car and will sport a yellow color. The yellow represents the mango fruit, a favorite among Filipinos, while its sky roof sports a violet strips with ethnic design on the front façade and runs along the side to the rear which represents ube.