The Light Rail Manila Consortium on Wednesday said it would rehabilitate more elevators and escalators at the Light Rail Transit Line 1.
LRMC, led by Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and Ayala Corp., said six escalators and two elevators at the Doroteo Jose Station and two elevators at the EDSA Station are among the 32 lifts already rehabilitated in partnership with original equipment manufacturers Schindler and Otis.
The company is optimistic that the lifts in the Roosevelt, Balintawak and Monumento stations would also be granted permits to operate in the next few months for the convenience of the 400,000 daily commuters who take the LRT1.
The restored elevators and escalators also incorporate new PWD-compliant features such as Braille buttons and accessibility of the controls to persons in wheelchairs.
Since it took over the concession last September 2015, LRMC has been making 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 president and chief executive Jesus Francisco earlier said the company allotted P500 million for the improvement of 20 passenger stations of the line.
The improvement of LRT stations was also in preparation for the delivery of 120 brand-new light rail vehicles (LRVs).
The new LRVs are expected to be delivered between 2017 and 2018.
The LRT Line 1 runs from Baclaran in Pasay City to Roosevelt in Quezon City.
LRMC will also be responsible for the construction of the 11.7-kilometer extension from the present end point at Baclaran to the Niog area in Bacoor, Cavite.
The extended rail line is expected to help increase the capacity of LRT 1 from 500,000 to 800,000 passengers daily and benefit more than four million residents in the southern part of Metro Manila and Cavite.
LRMC won the P65-billion LRT Line 1 extension project, with a premium bid of P9.35 billion in September 2014.
Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp. controls 55 percent of the consortium while AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp. holds 35 percent. The Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure’s Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte Ltd. holds 10 percent.