MANILA, Philippines — Strict measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have forced the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2) to defer the opening of two new stations by two months, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said yesterday.
The April 26 inauguration of the LRT-2’s Marikina and Antipolo stations was reset to June 23.
The rail line said it will instead conduct a trial run for the new stations on April 26.
DOTr Undersecretary Timothy John Batan said aside from the high number of COVID-19 cases among LRT-2 personnel and the enforcement of the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila until April 30, the foreigners tasked to conduct the final stages of installation, tecting and commissioning for the LRT-2’s East Extension project could not enter the country due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
The LRT-2 previously announced train trips would be from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. until April 30, when the MECQ is expected to end.
The LRT-2’s East Extension project, which covers the construction of the new stations, is nearly complete, the DOTr said.
The stations are expected to cut travel time between Manila and Antipolo City in Rizal to only 40 minutes from the usual three-hour ride by jeepney or bus, it added.
Meanwhile, 282 rail workers have recovered from COVID-19 as of Friday, the DOTr reported, with 103 recoveries among LRT Line 1 (LRT-1) employees; LRT-2, 83 recoveries; Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), 67; and Philippine National Railways (PNR) with 29.
In the DOTr’s tally last Friday, the four rail services had 703 active cases.
There were 233 active cases among LRT-2 personnel, 221 from the PNR, 191 from the MRT-3 and 58 from the LRT-1.
The DOTr noted that 5,454 of the total 8,277 employees of the four train services have been tested for COVID-19.