SG Complains

21 strayed onto MRT tracks..Ouch!

According to The Straits Times:

So far this year, 21 people have fallen or found their way onto the tracks. Last year, 31 people did so, and 30 the year before, an SMRT spokesman said.

More than 70 per cent of the cases were intentional, that is, the perpetrators were drunk, high on drugs or trying to commit suicide.

The others had unintentionally slipped onto the tracks when they felt faint, lost their balance or were careless.

All the cases took place on the above-ground portions of lines operated by SMRT. SBS Transit, which operates the wholly underground North-East Line, has not had any cases of people straying onto the tracks since it opened in 2003.

As a safety measure, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said it would complete installing half-height platform screen doors at three above-ground MRT stations – Pasir Ris, Jurong East and Yishun – by the end of next year.

Though the LTA will fit the 1.5m-tall doors at the 33 remaining above-ground stations by 2012, it wants to assess their suitability first at these three stations, a spokesman said.

UNDER the Rapid Transit System Regulations, trespassers may be fined up to $5,000; those who cross the yellow line may be fined up to $500.

Under the Rapid Transit Systems Act, anyone who endangers the lives of others may be fined up to $10,000, jailed up to five years or both.

Drunk trespassers can be charged for being drunk in public. They can be fined up to $1,000 or jailed for up to a month.

In the past week, there were two cases of people falling onto MRT tracks, the latest being last Saturday morning, when a man in his late 40s leapt onto the tracks at Yishun station and was hit by a train. He died later in hospital. Almost 3,000 commuters were affected when south-bound services between Sembawang and Yio Chu Kang stations were disrupted for half an hour.

Read the full article at The Straits Times:

- I had been writing about the danger of MRT platform since August 15, 2007 and finally it had taken notice by LTA since then and approved of the setting up of safety doors for those MRT station that is above ground.

This hopefully is going to reduce those accidents that cause hardship to people, the cheer is that they going to install the doors for Pasir Ris, Jurong East and Yishun MRT Stations by the end of next year.

See Also

1. Man caught walking on Clementi MRT track
2. “Ghost” MRT Station: Woodleigh Station?
3. Above—ground MRT stations to have platform screen doors by 2012
4. Man loses part of leg after being hit by MRT train at Marsiling
5. MRT Dangerous? (Above Ground)