U.P. Diliman Teching Up–Plans To Build Unmanned Monorail Around Campus

July 19 19:09 2011 by Alexei Rivera Print This Article

Like this, but with more trees

Plans have been set in motion to build and operate the first monorail line in the Philippines. DOST (Department of Science and Technology) Secretary Mario Montejo and UP President Alfredo Pasqual have signed a memorandum oof agreement to construct the new public transportation system. The monorail line is dubbed the AGT – Automated Gateway Transit, and is planned to move along a 2 Km track around the University of the Philippines, Diliman Campus. What’s more, the train is designed to be fully automated and wouldn’t require the presence of a driver – bringing with it a more technological leap over the current LRT and MRT line of rail based transport.

If executed well, this should serve as a great way to start a new wave of low-cost public transportation. DOST said that the UP Diliman monorail will be a testbed for future implementations of the technology and will test the feasibility of implementing it for other towns and cities nationwide. It is slated to have a cost effective system – with compact coaches with a capacity of about 60 persons each.

Construction is said to start in October, and is expected to cost around PHP 20 to 25 Million. The expected end date will be 6 months from then, so hopefully we’ll be trying these trains out around this time next year. The route will initially go through key points in the University including the National Computer Center, College of Fine Arts, National Institute of Geological Studies, Palma Hall, Benites Hall, College of Business Administration, Parish of the Holy Sacrifice, Kalayaan Dorm, Vanguard Building, Ylanan Hall, and even Philcoa’s Dilimall.

Source: Philippine Online Chronicles