COMMUTERS—especially persons with disability and elderly—of the Light Rail Transit 1 (LRT 1) can now experience a little relief, as elevators and escalators at two passenger stations of the train system are now back in operation.
In a news statement released on Wednesday, Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) said six escalators and two elevators at the Doroteo Jose Station and two elevators at the Edsa Station are now functional following the issuance of permits to operate by the city governments of Manila and Pasay.
These are among the 32 lifts already rehabilitated, in partnership with original equipment manufacturers Schindler and Otis.
“The company is optimistic that the lifts in Roosevelt, Balintawak and Monumento stations will, likewise, be granted permits to operate in the next few months for the convenience of the average 400,000 commuters along the LRT 1,” the statement read.
The restored elevators and escalators also include upgrades incorporating PWD-compliant features, such as Braille buttons and accessibility of location of the controls to persons in wheelchairs, among others.
Since taking over the concession last September, LRMC has been undertaking system improvements in LRT 1, such as the repair of light-rail vehicles, rail replacements, deployment of additional manpower, and improvement of the stations’ lighting for the safety and better visibility of passengers.
LRMC, a joint venture led by Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and Ayala Corp., is embarking on a multibillion-peso project to rehabilitate and improve the current state of the 31-year-old rail line. It is also set to extend the line to Bacoor, Cavite.