Chaos on line 3 of the CDMX metro between saturated stations, the smell of burning and endless delays

“When you enter the Mexico Metro You don’t know if you will arrive in 25 minutes or in 2 hours”, is the comment with which a user of social networks referred to the multiple delays recorded by line 3 (olive green) of the Public Transport System (STC) on the morning of this Friday, February 17.

However, this ironic comment is far from reflecting everything the outrage and anger that service delays have sparked among thousands of commuters in the capital’s suburbs who were affected.

And it is that, just an hour and 58 minutes after the collective transport system (STC) started its service this Friday, it was reported through its official communication channels that on line 3 -which goes from Indios Verdes to the University- there was a great influx of people.

Just three minutes after the Mexico City Metro informed that empty units would be sent, in its verified account of Twitter they published one update on expected wait times for each of the 12 lines that make up the Public Transport System (STC) network.

In said update an estimated wait time of seven minutes has been considered for the line 3information that was denied by the same users of the suburban and social networks of the capital in the comment box of the publication.

“Tell the truth, line 3, 80 years per season”; “The advance of trains on line 3 is 20 minutes”; ” What a pity * with line 3, at 6 I board at the CU and I barely go to Balderas after 1 fucking hour!!!! I couldn’t make it to my class anymore”; “1 hour and 20 minutes still in Guerrero. What need to lie? If the service is also inefficient, go back to the $3 fee because there is nothing for maintenance and improvement”, these are the testimonies of Internet users who commented on the publication of Twitter of the Mexico City Metro.

At 8:41 a.m. this Friday, the Transit System (TCS) again reported that they continued to send empty units to stations that had a greater influx users of Line 3.

Despite this measure, netizens pointed out that the estimated time the trains took at each station was 5 to 15 minutesin addition to the fact that in the terminals -Indios Verdes and Universidad- boarding one of the convoys took up to 40 minutesTherefore, they recommended using alternative transport routes.

As this note is written, The administration of the suburban capital did not explain the reason for the delays on line 3However, an unofficial burning smell has been reported at some stations.

Information from the Agencia México de Noticias released at 9:11 a.m. reported that delays continued at various stations on line 3besides the fact that delays have also been reported in the transit of trains on lines 2 (blue), 4 (turquoise green), 6 (red) and A (purple).

In December 2022, the head of government of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaumrecognized that line 3 of the public transport system (STC) was one of the oldest in the transport network, so it was extremely important to maintainHowever, he assured that his administration would not have time to reshape it.

“Line 3, for example, is also a very old line that needs modernization, Maybe it does not give us the time, but it will take -the next administration- well, let it -it will depend on who will arrive-, but let the project of what the rehabilitation of line 3 meanswhich is one of the lines that today requires the most investment, even as is the case with line 1″, declared Claudia Sheinbaum before the Advisory Council of the Metro Collective Transportation System (STC).