(Eagle News)–There will be no Light Rail Transit-2 operations from Santolan to Anonas stations and back for a maximum of nine months.
In a statement, the Light Rail Transit Authority said operations from Cubao to Recto and back, however, may be restored anytime next week, days after a rectifier caught fire near Katipunan station.
LRTA Administrator Gen. Reynaldo Berroya said the limited operations were due to the severe damage of the two rectifier substations.
“Test runs and safety checks of all equipment and facilities such as
signalling, communications, power and trains should be completed before we can partially operate,” Berroya said.
The LRTA said the replacement of the damaged rectifier substations requires “a highly-technical intervention.”
“Its replacement needs to undergo the processes of procurement, delivery, installation, testing, and commisioning which will take ample time to complete,” the LRTA said, pegging the cost of damages at P428 million.
Berroya said the cause of the incident is still being investigated, with commisioning engineers from the United States involved in the design and installation of the existing rectifier substations slated to help.
“Coordination with DOTr, MMDA and LTFRB were done so as to temporarily allow buses and UV’s to ply an out-of-line route at the stations where operations are still suspended,” the LRTA said.
It added buses from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Philippine Coast Guard are being deployed to ferry the affected passengers from Santolan to Cubao stations during peak hours.
Berroya appealed for understanding and patience, giving the assurance the LRTA will exhaust all efforts to fast-track the repair and upgrade of the system.
