Thursday, January 08, 2009 Barefoot passengers can board LRT trains on Nazarene feast
IN DEFENSE to the customary celebrations of the feast of the Black Nazarene on Friday, the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) will allow barefoot passengers to board its trains on that day.
This as the agency said it expects passenger volume on Friday to reach 540,000.
“Traffic is expected to be heavy on that day so we are offering our LRT system as a cheap, fast, safe, and more convenient alternative to regular transport,” said LRTA Administrator Melquaides Robles in explaining their decision to allow barefoot passengers going to the festivities to board the mass transit system.
But Robles said the measure would not compromise security measures in place adding that additional security personnel with K-9 bomb-sniffing dogs, as well as medical personnel to be deployed to the UN Avenue, Central, Carriedo, Doroteo Jose, and Recto stations to accommodate and safeguard the expected surge in passenger volume.
“We are more than ready to accommodate the increase in ridership on Friday, which we expect to be around 540,000,” he said, assuring passengers there will be more than enough trains to service them.
He said they are looking at fielding 31 trains with two spares to service the devotees and their regular passengers.
Following its Capacity Expansion Project, LRTA’s Baclaran-Monumento System (Line 1) now has a stable of 139 coaches that may be configured into three-car or four-car train combinations depending on passenger demand, with a carrying capacity of 1,309,680 passengers per day.
Its Recto-Santolan System (Line 2) has 16 train sets available, which can carry a maximum of 730,240 passengers per day.
Earlier, the Metro Rail Transit 3 management conducted exploratory talks with the LRTA, intending to lease the latter’s 1st Generation Trains (BN-ACEC), to supplement its train service after it was found to have already exceeded its carrying capacity.
On January 9, 2008, 479,175 passengers took the LRT train, while the LRTA fielded around 31 trains during the Black Nazarene feast.
The feast of the Black Nazarene will start on Thursday with an overnight prayer vigil at Luneta Park. It will culminate on Friday with the traditional procession that will wind its way through the streets of Manila with a statue in black wood of Christ carrying the cross towards Calvary.
Tens of thousands of devotees from all walks of life are expected to take part in the said celebration. (AH/Sunnex)
