The Santolan, Anonas, and Katipunan stations of the Light Rail Transit Line 2 were back in operation on Friday after over a year of repair works.
In a Facebook post on Friday, the Light Rail Transit Authority, the operator and maintenance provider of the LRT-2, spokesperson Hernando Cabrera announced the resumption of operation of the three stations.
In October 2019, the power transformers between the Anonas and Katipunan stations and in the Santolan depot tripped and led to a fire that damaged the LRT-2’s power rectifier stations in the area, resulting in the closing of the three stations.
In an earlier statement, LRTA Administrator Reynaldo Berroya said “all appropriate tests” were conducted to confirm the stability and reliability of the provisional power supply for the reopening of the affected stations.
He said the LRTA’s Safety and Security Division, Engineering section, contractor and consultants all recommended the reopening of the three stations after conducting all necessary works and tests, and met the required parameters for “safe and reliable operations.”
Despite the repair works already accomplished and the reopening of the entire rail line, Berroya appealed to passengers to allot “additional hours” in their travel as the wait between trains will take an average of 14 minutes due to a speed restriction of 30 kilometers per hour as the trains approach the Anonas station.
“With the speed restriction, travel time from Santolan to Recto stations will take more than 35 minutes compared to 28 minutes when the system is in normal and good condition,” Berroya said.
To help address the issue, he said, LRT-2 is expediting the restoration of “trains” to increase the number operating along the mainline.
He assured LRT-2 passengers that the remaining restoration and repair works of the rail service will be “fast-tracked.”
He also reminded passengers to strictly adhere to safety protocols such as wearing a face mask and shield, physical distancing and no talking, among other restrictions in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
To help ensure the safety of its passengers, he said, the LRT-2 continues to implement cashless transactions at all stations, with the buying and loading of tickets only possible through ticket vending machines and e-loading machines.