A commuters’ group on Saturday called on the management of Metro Rail Transit Line 3 to consider extending the services of the railway until midnight, if 24/7 operations are not possible.
At present, the last MRT-3 train gets deployed at 10 p.m. and operations return past 4 a.m. Round-the-clock operations will not be possible as their trains have to be maintained during downtime, the MRT-3 management earlier said.
But Rodolfo “Ka. RJ” Javellana Jr., president of the United Filipino Consumer and Commuters, said authorities should consider the rising Philippine population and the safety of the commuting public at night.
Javellana also stressed the heavy traffic along EDSA and Taft Avenue going to Baclaran and Monumento.
“We need a secure transportation service like the MRT or LRT. They can do maintenance work for two to four hours,”Javellana told a radio interview.
“We only ask for an extension for the benefit of the riding public,” he added.
It will be okay, he said, if operations will be extended until 12 midnight or 1 a.m., adding that maintenance activities may be done for around three hours.
The MRT-3 management earlier said trains have to undergo aircon maintenance and troubleshooting, which was why the downtime was necessary.