Two LRT 2 stations shut for 9 months

The Light Rail Transit Authority said on Friday it would be closing down LRT 2’s Santolan and Katipunan stations for up to nine months, after they were damaged by the explosion of two transformers. This means when the line resumes operations hopefully by Monday, the trains would run only between Cubao and Recto stations. The closure is expected to worsen traffic in eastern Metro Manila.

The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) announced on Friday that they would be closing down two stations for a maximum of nine months after they were damaged by the explosion of two transformers powering its mainline on Thursday morning.

The closure of Santolan and Katipunan stations, which service thousands of commuters coming in from Marikina and Quezon City, is expected to paralyze the eastern metro especially with the partial closure of Marcos Highway and the dearth of public utility vehicles along that corridor, LRTA spokesperson Hernan Cabrera told the Inquirer.

This means that, when the LRT 2 line resumes operations hopefully on Monday, the trains would run between Cubao in Quezon City and Recto in Manila.

The transit line will remain closed until at least Sunday.

Cabrera said they would do their best to bring back power to Anonas station within a few days. It was also affected by the fire when Rectifier (transformer) No. 5 between Katipunan and Anonas stations and Rectifier No. 6 at the Santolan depot tripped and exploded.

Anonas is crucial as it houses reversing tracks that allow the trains to go back.

But for now, they are prioritizing the high-density Cubao station, which links to the Metro Rail Transit 3.

LRTA administrator Reynaldo Berroya estimated the initial cost of damages at around P428 million.

Cabrera added that the cause of the incident is still under investigation and that engineers would be arriving on Sunday to help with the probe.

But while Cabrera assured the public that the rest of the transit line remains safe for use, commuters are concerned over the inconvenience caused by the disruption in their routine.