DOTr: More LRT-2 escalators, elevators now working

Finally, they are working. The Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced on Thursday, May 19, that it had ĸxed more elevators and escalators of the Light Rail Transit (LRT)-2.

The non-operational escalators and elevators have been a commuting nightmare for senior citizens and persons with disabilities at some LRT-2 stations as they have to use stairs on their way up to or down from the train platforms.

The DOTr said that as of May 17, 2022, 66 of the LRT-2 line’s 72 escalators and 36 of the LRT-2 line’s 40 elevators are operational, according to the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), the line’s operator.

“Commuters of the Light Rail Transit (LRT)-2 line can expect more convenience and a better experience in their daily rides as more escalators and elevators have been restored and are now operational in the line’s stations,” the DOTr statement read. “The rehabilitation and repair of station escalators and elevators are in line with the LRTA’s efforts to improve the accessibility of the rail service for the riding public, particularly the elderly, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities (PWDs).”

The 17.69-kilometer-long LRT- 2 line has 13 stations from Recto in Manila to Masinag in Antipolo City. The LRT-2 has an estimated daily ridership of 300,000 people.

DOTr Sec. Art Tugade has earlier ordered the full repair of elevators and escalators amid mounting complaints from LRT2 commuters.

“The LRTA’s top priority is to ensure that everyone, especially the mobility-challenged train riders—the elderly or senior citizens, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities (PWDs)—can easily move around its stations and board its trains,” said Tugade.