The constant breakdown of the Metro Rail Transit 3 line deserves a more serious look because of the inconvenience to and the real danger faced by the riding public.
The series of disruptions in the rail line lately prompted the Department of Transportation and the MRT 3’s maintenance contractor, Busan Universal Rail Inc., to engage in a blame game that is nowhere close to resolving the problems besetting the mass transport system.
Busan has conceded its regular contract with the government was no longer sufficient “to correct the MRT 3’s track condition.” The company claimed the system’s rails must immediately be replaced to fix the regular breakdown in train service.
The current condition of the track system, according to Busan, was one of the culprits of glitches and stoppages. The train derailment on April 18, it added, was caused by track vibration, the aging system, or a maintenance lapse.
MRT 3’s problem, it seems, is more fundamental. From a daily passenger capacity of 350,000, the trains system is actually serving 500,000 commuters, putting a stress on the rail tracks. MRT 3, in short, is an aging train system that requires immediate replacement because of wear and tear.
The Department of Transportation, meanwhile, has threatened to cancel Busan’s maintenance contract due to the series of rail disruptions. The agency noted 116 unloading incidents at the MRT line 3 due to technical problems from January to April 19 this year. The rail system recorded at least 586 unloading incidents in 2016.
The country’s three major rail systems are the cheapest and by far the most efficient form of transportation in the metropolis. Government negligence and its inability to privatize them, however, have added to the wear and tear of the aging transportation system.
The government also, as in many countries, does not have the corporate culture to run a business operation due to bureaucracy and the lack of accountability. Privatizing the country’s rail assets may still be far from reality, but the government should quickly initiate the process to avoid the blame game and give the riding public the break they need.