Long queues again at MRT-3 after railway crack stalls operations

Another technical problem tested the patience of Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) passengers on Thursday morning.

According to Mark Salazar's report on 24 Oras, MRT-3 management temporarily halted train operations due to a "hairline crack" on the railway.

"We need to install a base plate on the tracks kaya medyo naantala 'yung ating mga revenue service," said Ric Inotorio, MRT-3 director for operations.

"I think it lasted for about 40 minutes (but) after that, I think nag-resume naman agad ang operation and back to normal,"

The line resumed operations by 7 a.m. but a long queue of passengers have been waiting as early as 6 a.m.

The queues at some stations including Taft and North Avenue were so long that passengers were already waiting along EDSA.

Some were so inconvenienced that they gave up declared never to take a ride on MRT-3 again.

This was the line's 18th technical glitch this year.

Management appealed for their passengers' patience.

"Ongoing yung rehabilitation na ginagawa natin, kasama...'yung pagpapalit natin ng buong mga riles," said Inotorio.

"Humihingi lang kami ng kaunting pasyensya, kaunting time sa mananakay natin na in a few months and in coming years, maaayos natin lahat unti-unti."

MRT-3 management said new rails are expected to arrive in the first quarter of 2020 and that the signalling system will also be improved.

"Most of the glitches were related to signaling problems and tracks so ito yung medyo talagang problema natin na part ng rehabilitasyon na ginagawa ng Sumitomo,"  Inotorio said. — Margaret Claire Layug/BAP, GMA News