Two train sets for the Metro Rail Transit line 7 (MRT-7) have arrived and four more are expected for delivery by the end of the year, according to San Miguel Corp. (SMC).
Ramon Ang, SMC president, said that after the first train set was delivered from the Manila port last September 11, it was immediately set up at the site, with the second batch of train cars to be mounted yesterday.
The two train sets, consisting of three cars each, were shipped from Masan Port towards the end of August, and dispatched to the MRT-7 tracks between University Avenue and Tandang Sora after clearing customs at the Port of Manila.
SMC ordered a total of 36 train sets or 108 cars from Hyundai ROTEM.
The train sets arrived in Manila last September 6 following extensive inspections and factory acceptance testing, SMC said. South Korea’s national rail manufacturer, Korea Railroad Corp., served as SMC’s adviser.
“We are working round-the-clock to meet the first test run by next year. We know that our countrymen are eagerly awaiting the formal opening of the MRT-7 so that they can experience faster, more efficient, and comfortable travel. This is even more crucial during the pandemic when additional transportation options are required to bring people safely to work and back to their homes,” Ang said.
The MRT-7 project is currently at 55.3 percent completion, despite pandemic restrictions and pending right-of-way issues. SMC said workers have completed the installation of bored piles, girders and other foundational works.
SMC, the concession-holder for the project, is fully-funding construction of the 22-kilometer mass transit system that links up with the MRT-3 and Light Rail Transit 1, and extends from North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan. – Myla Iglesias
