DOTC to LRTA: Ensure smooth rail operations

Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza ordered the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) yesterday to ensure there would be no more unnecessary disruptions in the operation of the LRT following the termination of the maintenance contract with a Belgian firm.

Mendoza’s order to LRTA Administrator Teodoro Cruz came shortly after the LRT operations was disrupted last Monday due to technical malfunction.

"I already tasked Administrator Cruz to take the necessary measures to ensure that operations of the LRT will be smooth and unhampered as well as to provide the safety of thousands of daily commuters," Mendoza said.

Belgian firm Transsurb Technirail terminated its services last May 16 following the expiration of its contract after three years of servicing as maintenance contractor at LRT.

Mendoza said LRT Line 1 alone serves at least 300,000 passengers daily and a total of 27.7 million commuters have been served during the last three months.

For his part, Cruz said that at least 250 technical people have been hired in the operations of railway system.

He added that an ongoing bidding for the new maintenance contractor is now underway, adding that the LRTA expects to complete the process by July this year.

Cruz also clarified yesterday that he did not move for the non-extension of the contract with LRT’s technical consultant .

He stressed that the decision not to extend the technical maintenance contract with the Belgian rail specialist was made by the LRTA board of directors, composed of representatives from several government departments and agencies.

The LRTA board is chaired by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) secretary and composed of representatives from the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB), the Department of Finance, the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

He stressed that as LRTA administrator, he merely implements orders and resolutions issued by the LRTA board.

Cruz issued the statements following criticism over the current lack of a maintenance consultants for LRT Line 1, which runs from Monumento in Caloocan City to Baclaran in Parañaque City.

A "code red" incident, or mechanical trouble, hit the rail line last Monday that resulted to a stoppage of operations for more than 10 minutes, to the inconvenience of several hundreds of passengers.

Observers said the incident casts doubts on the ability of LRTA engineers and technicians to efficiently and safely run the rail line without technical assistance from foreign experts. Monday’s code red incident ended a three day "Iucky streak" for the LRTA people.

Until a new contract is signed, the LRTA will be running the rail line.– Rainier Allan Ronda