NCR, LRTA conduct simulation on resumption of operations

May 27, 2020

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Tuesday conducted a simulation with the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) in preparation for resumption of  operations when Metro Manila will be under General Community Quarantine ( GCQ)

Led by NCRPO chief Police Major General Debold Sinas, the  exercise aims to test the effectivity of protocols in actual scenario through the help of NCRPO police trainees who acted as test passengers.

Among the initiatives of Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) 2 tested were the passenger distribution control protocol, social distancing protocol, safety protocols and informational campaign.

For the passenger distribution control protocol, a total of 160 from the original 1,600 passengers will be accommodated per platform to give way for effective crowd control procedures.

For the social distancing protocol, a one-way yellow line are placed in entrances, x-ray machine lines, stairs, platform areas, holding areas, connecting lines, link bridges, payment areas, and other places frequented by passengers to guide them as to the distance they must keep from other persons around them.

As to safety protocols, prevention and safety measures were installed such as foot baths and disinfecting mats, hand held metal detector for searching deadly weapon and other prohibited items, thermal scanners to prevent those with a temperature exceeding 37.8°C from entering the premises and alcohol or sanitizing gels were also made available.

Passengers may opt to wash their hands in station toilets with soap and water.

For the informational campaign, banners, posters, tarpaulins and other visual aids were made available within the premises to enhance awareness on safety protocols being implemented inside the station.

Sinas said each train will undergo extensive sanitation procedure upon reaching the last station by the end of every trip.

"Our citizens will be needing public transport to go to work and other places and the LRT is one of the indispensable and fastest mode of transportation in Metro Manila. Surely, most of our people will take this as an option for their daily transport,” he said.

“Hence, we are working in close partnership with LRTA to guarantee public safety should we finally come to the resumption of public transport," he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte will decide before this weekend to downgrade modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila and other parts of the country to GCQ. Ella Dionisio/DMS