THE Philippine National Railways (PNR) is expected to resume operations early in June to ease the worsening traffic in Metro Manila, a government official said.
Department of Transportation and Communications Spokesman Michael Arthur C. Sagcal said the government aims to reopen the line for commercial use starting next week.
“The target is within the first two weeks of June, but [the PNR will not resume operations] before we get an expert safety certification,” he said.
The oldest at grade railway system in the Philippines stopped operations this month, after one of its coaches derailed near Nichols Station in Pasay in April, resulting in more than 50 passengers injured.
Earlier, Diosdado N. Silva, the train line’s assistant general manager, explained that the service was halted so that the government can conduct an exhaustive inspection of its tracks to ensure the safety of its passengers and trains.
A team from the Cologne, Germany-based technical and safety provider TÜV Rheinland Group is now conducting a review of the railway line’s state.
The investigation is expected to yield a precise inventory of missing or needed parts such as rail joints, angle bars and rail clips—which will then be procured and installed in order to allow the PNR to resume its operations as soon as possible. Prior to the incident, the railway system had been serving the Tutuban-Calamba route daily.
Transportation expert Rene S. Santiago earlier told the BusinessMirror that underinvestment ultimately caused the poor state of the railway system.
At present, the PNR commuter line operates from Tutuban to Santa Rosa City, Laguna, covering 23 stations over a stretch of 50 kilometers, and from Naga to Sipocot in Camarines Norte with route length of 35 km.
The government has ensured that the railway system will soon see improvements, as it plans to develop the dilapidated line through the P287-billion North-South Railway Project.
The first phase of the facility will involve the construction of a 36.7-km narrow gauge elevated commuter railway from Malolos, Bulacan, to Tutuban in Manila. It is seen to be completed by the third quarter of 2020.
The second phase, which will extend the commuter rail up to Matnog, Sorsogon, will be completed by the forth quarter of 2019.
The two-phase deal will be implemented under the official development assistance and Public-Private Partnership Program.
The PNR is also expecting the arrival of two secondhand donated trains from Japan in the coming weeks. Aside from replacing missing parts and constructing double-track rails, the line has other rehabilitation projects for near-term implementation, such as roofing extension to shield passengers from heat and rain, installation of turnstiles in major stations, and rail and comfort-room rehabilitation.
These immediate improvements are targeted for completion by the end of 2015 or early next year.
2 comments
What a waste of potential. PNR should expand to include cargo transport to reduce the number of trucks in Metro Manila. Also expand to include stations within the international airport just like in other progressive countries.
Agreeing 100%