1.1 Light Rail Transit System (LRT)
The modern day Light Rail Transit systems around the world lie in the intermediate stage of evolution and lie between trams and railways. They try to imbibe the advantages of railways such as speed and greater throughputs while maintaining the flexibility and accessibility of trams. These systems essentially resemble railways in the fact that they operate on electrified rail routes but operate within a city or an urban zone to facilitate movement of public over short distances. The typical characteristics of an LRT are as follows: * High throughput * Short commute distances * High stoppage frequency * Basic amenities and no frills value services * Dedicated ‘Right of Way’ unlike road sharing like trams
The LRT mainly aims at augmenting the existing urban transport systems in modern urban areas since cities are no longer limited in boundaries and are expanding by the day, thus giving rise to traffic congestions and accidents. The LRTs have helped reduce the pressure of passenger cars on roads and provide hassle-free mode of transport to citizens.
1.2 Manila Rail Transit System
Department of Transportation & Communication (DOTC)
Philippines had separately developed three major Public transport systems based on railways viz. metro, light rails and heavy railway. The Filipino Government through the office of the President initiated the integration of the entire public rail transport system including urban and inter-city systems into a single entity known as the Strong Republic Transit System (SRTS). The SRTS was conceptualized to integrate the various modes of rail transport into a seamless system which is reliable and at par with international standards. The SRTS as of now includes the Philippine National Railway (PNR), Manila Metro Rail Transit System (MRT), and Manila Light Rail Transit System (LRTS). The north rail and south rail are additionally connected through various SRTS