MRT-3 increases limited ops to 14 trains

MANILA – The Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) has increased the number of its deployed trains amid the limited operations of all rail services in the National Capital Region (NCR) brought by restrictions and personnel infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the MRT-3 said a total of 14 train sets now ply its rails from 12 to 13 trains since it resumed operations on Monday.

“Ito ay resulta ng mas maraming train drivers ng rail line na nag-negatibo sa Covid-19 matapos ang isinagawang RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) mass swab testing sa lahat ng empleyado nito (This is after many train drivers of the rail line returning with negative tests for Covid-19 after the mass RT-PCR swab testing for all employees),” the MRT-3 said.

To date, 860 out of the MRT-3’s 3,284 workers have been tested for Covid-19, with 131 found to be infected.

“Sa limitadong operasyon ng MRT-3, tanging mga empleyado na nag-negatibo sa Covid-19 ang pinapayagang pumasok sa depot office at sa mga istasyon (During the MRT-3’s limited operations, only employees who test negative for Covid-19 are allowed to work at the depot office and stations),” the MRT-3 said.

In the meantime, it said infected personnel and their close contacts, those awaiting test results, and those with symptoms of Covid-19 are barred from entering MRT-3 premises to avoid the spread of the disease.

Under the enhanced community quarantine, MRT-3 trains operate at 30 percent of their maximum passenger capacity or 372 passengers per train set or 124 passengers in each train car.

Earlier, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said a total of 522 personnel of all four rail services in Metro Manila have been found infected with Covid-19.

This after DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade ordered the mass testing of all railway personnel to avoid the spread of Covid-19.