DoTr, Australian company seal O&M consultancy contract for MRT-4
THE PHILIPPINE Transport department and Ricardo Rail Australia Pty Ltd. signed on Thursday a contract for the provision of consultancy services on the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the Metro Rail Transit Line 4 (MRT-4).
Under the 12-month Shadow Operator Consultant contract, the Australian company will identify, define, and develop internationally accepted best practice operational and maintenance requirements.
Transport Secretary Jaime J. Bautista, in a press release on Thursday, said Ricardo Rail’s expertise “will help elevate MRT-4 operations to international standards.”
Under the contract, which was awarded in January, Ricardo Rail will prepare for handover to the O&M concessionaire while ensuring that the designs of the engineering and architectural consultant are followed.
MRT-4 is a 13.4-kilometer big-ticket railway project to be funded by the Asian Development Bank.
It will serve the eastern side of Metro Manila with 10 stations that will traverse along Ortigas Avenue and Ortigas Avenue Extension.
It will start at the EDSA Station near Robinsons Galleria in Quezon City and end at the Taytay Station near the Taytay Public Market and the intersection of Taytay Diversion Road and Manila East Road.
“Once operational, the more than 400,000 passengers expected to ride the MRT-4 will be more than grateful for solving the perennial traffic problem along the stretch of Ortigas Avenue,” Mr. Bautista said. — Justine Irish D. Tabile
