Glitches force MRT-3 to deploy fewer trains

MANILA, Philippines — The Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), hounded by technical problems, deployed fewer trains during yesterday’s morning rush hour and caused long lines at its stations.

The glitches occurred a day after the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced the cancellation of  a contract with Busan Universal Railways Inc. (BURI) to maintain the MRT-3.  

The MRT-3 said in an advisory that it was supposed to deploy 14 trains but only 13 were running after one train was reported to have developed a glitch at around 8 a.m. According to other reports, only 10 were operational.

The rail line unloaded passengers at its North Avenue station after the train developed a “technical problem” at around 6 a.m., the MRT-3 said.

DOTr Undersecretary Cesar Chavez described the situation as “very bad” after speaking to people standing in long lines at the North Avenue station, GMA News reported.

Passengers had to wait as long as 30 extra minutes to board the train and this does not meet the international standard of a five to seven-minute wait at most, he said.

On Monday, MRT trains were reported to have developed technical problems, disrupting the rail line’s operations at least seven times.