MRT-3 resumes operations; slowdown at Taft station expected

MANILA, Philippines – The Metro Rail Transit resumed operations past 5 pm Wednesday, August 13, but advised commuters to expect delays approaching Taft Avenue, where an accident happened in the afternoon, injuring some passengers.

“We are running Southbound and Northbound but expect delay approaching Taft Ave. because we are utilizing single track in reversing,” according to a post on MRT-3’s official Twitter account.

The one at Taft in Pasay City is the train’s last station on its south end. Approaching the Taft station, a train got derailed and overshot the tracks. 

Hernando Cabrera, spokesperson for the MRT, said a defective train, with body number 003-B, lost its power after it left the Magallanes station southbound past 4 pm.

When another train was towing it, the stalled train got detached, causing it to slide past its barrier.

“When the defective train was being pushed to the Taft Station, the coupling was detached and the train failed to stop because it has no power,” Cabrera explained.

Passengers of the defective train were not allowed to disembark because they were stalled between stations. The train that came to the rescue, however, unloaded its passengers in Magallanes before proceeding to Taft.

The MRT along EDSA, Metro Manila’s major highway, is being maintained by Autre Porte Technique Global Incorporated under a P713-million one-year contract. The government has announced an expansion program worth P3.8 billion and which involves the acquisition of 48 brand new trains.

The MRT – 16.9-kilometer rail system that stretches from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City – transports nearly 600,000 passengers daily, almost double the its original capacity of 350,000 per day. 

The Pasay City government has released the names of some of the 38 injured passengers who were brought to 3 hospitals within its jurisdiction. The Department of Transportation and Communications is investigating the incident. – Rappler.com