Sumitomo and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will assume the overall rehabilitation of the MRT-3 line starting May 1.

On Tuesday, the MRT-3 Maintenance Transition Team (MTT) handed over the overall rehabilitation and maintenance works to Sumitomo-Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI)-TES Philippines (TESP).

Transport Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan led the ceremonial turnover of documents, with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chief Representative Yoshio Wada, MRT-3 General Manager Rodolfo Garcia, MRT-3 Director for Operations Michael Capati, Sumitomo Infrastructure Department Director/General Manager Masanori Honda, MHI Project Manager Koji Nishiyama, and TESP Chairman Kiyoshi Morita.

MRT-3 will undergo rehabilitation and maintenance on its electromechanical components, power supply system, rail tracks, depot equipment, elevators and escalators at all MRT-3 stations as well as the overhaul of 72 light rail vehicles.

The rehabilitation works are slated for completion within the first 26 months of the 43-month rehabilitation and maintenance contract.

In this timeframe, the MRT-3 targets to increase the number of its operating trains from 15 to 20, double train operating speed to 60 kilometers per hour and slash by half travel time between trains from current 7-10 minutes down to 3.5 minutes. DMS