TWO German railway companies are appalled at the situation of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3, prompting them to propose to end the suffering of the ailing train line’s half-a-million daily passengers through an unsolicited rehabilitation project.
Under their proposal submitted to the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), Schunk Bahn- und Industrietechnik GmbH and HEAG Mobilo GmbH will place the whole train system under a massive transformation program to augment its capacity, and provide a safe and comfortable travel to commuters from the northern and southern corridors of Metro Manila.
Backed by Comm Builders and Technology Phils. Corp. (CB&T), the joint venture seeks to address “all the essential subsystems to station facilities, being a perennial problem in MRT 3.”
“Compared to the other proposals provided, this offer addressed the ancillary power, considered the 48 new
trains, new stabling area, new elevators and escalators, new public-address system, public- information system, new toilets, platform gates, CCTV camera, signaling system, rail replacement and rail grinding,” the German firms said.
The ultimate solution to the problems hounding the system, the group said, could be addressed by limiting the maintenance or downtime period of the train line, imposing a single point of responsibility to control the railway’s rehabilitation, deploying an efficient and experienced international parts integrator and sourcing company, adding a stabling area for the 48 brand-new coaches, and a space for new trains.
The two companies have more than 100 years of experience in operating railways and other transport modes. Schunk Bahn- und Industrietechnik GmbH is an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of high-quality power-transmission railway equipment.
On the other hand, HEAG mobilo operates and maintains its own fleet of trains, trams and buses since the late 1800s. With its operations based in Darmstadt, Germany, it has 23 bus lines and nine tram lines.
“The Schunk-HEAG team has the capability to supply and provide OEM equipment and spare parts for MRT 3 irrespective of brand,” the German camp assured.
This new offer is the latest addition to the growing list of unsolicited proposals pertaining to the rehabilitation of the MRT that the government has received over the past few years. The group of businessman Robert John L. Sobrepeña is proposing to do a “quick fix” solution to make the train system safe for public transport.
Together with foreign firms Sumitomo Corp. of Japan and Globalvia Infrastructuras of Spain, Metro Global Holdings Inc. is proposing to “fix” the ailing system through a $150-million investment that involves the procurement of a total of 96 new train cars, and the rehabilitation of the existing 73 coaches, increasing its capacity by fourfold to 1.2 million daily passengers.
Under the proposal, a single point of responsibility will be implemented: meaning the rehabilitation and the maintenance of the line will be handled by a single company.
Separately, Metro Pacific Investments Corp. is proposing to shoulder the upgrade costs of the train system and release the government from the bondage of paying billions of pesos in equity rental payments.
The group of businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan, which earlier entered into a partnership agreement with the corporate owner of the MRT, intends to spend $524 million to overhaul the line.