DoTr seeks MRT-3 upgrades

Commuters can expect smoother and more efficient rides on the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) as the Department of Transportation (DoTr) rolls out improvements following an inspection by Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon on Monday.

Addressing passenger concerns, Dizon outlined plans to reduce long queues, enhance station facilities, and improve transfers between the MRT and other modes of transport.

Immediate improvements include installing better lighting in dimly lit areas and constructing covered walkways to connect MRT stations with other transport modes, such as buses and jeepneys.

“We will quickly install lights in dark areas of stations and build covered walkways from train stations to bus and jeep loading areas,” Dizon said in a statement.

The DoTr chief also said improvements will prioritize the speed of queuing at stations, repainting markings and signs and fixing broken turnstiles.

These improvements followed Dizon’s personal inspections of the rail line’s Taft, Ayala and Shaw Stations, where he spoke with passengers to gather suggestions.

As the build-lease-transfer agreement between the government and Metro Rail Transit Corp. (MRTC) approaches its expiration this year, the DoTr is considering privatizing the operation and management of the MRT-3.

The government currently operates the line, while MRTC is responsible for its design, construction, and maintenance.

MRTC, a company owned by Metro Rail Transit Holdings II Inc. under businessman Robert John Sobrepeña, began construction of MRT-3 in 1996, completing it by 1999.