S'pore plans major upgrade of rail system

Nearly 1.8 billion Singapore dollars (Bt 42 billion) is being pumped into the Singapore rail network to increase capacity and cut waiting times for commuters. The cash injection – believed to be one of the largest to date – comes amid rising unhappiness over perceived overcrowding and breakdowns.

Most of it will be put towards buying new trains for Singpore’s Circle Line, North East Line, North South Line, East West Line, Bukit Panjang LRT and Sengkang-Punggol LRT.

The separate sums that make up the S$1.79 billion figure were stated in this year's budget, but the total figure emerged only after the information was compiled by The Straits Times. It is believed to be one of the largest amounts set aside to increase the capacity of the rail network.

About S$353 million will be spent on 24 new trains for the Circle Line, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA). Another S$492.4 million will go towards purchasing 18 new ones for the North East Line. It will also be spent on testing the trains, commissioning them and integrating them into the existing system, plus other administrative costs.

The new trains, due to be delivered from 2015, will increase capacity by 60 per cent on the Circle Line and about 70 per cent on the North East Line.

SBS Transit's 20km North East Line now has 25 six-car trains while the 33km Circle Line, run by SMRT, has 40 three-car trains. Another S$662.5 million has been set aside to increase capacity on the older North South and East West lines.

Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said last month that 41 new trains would be bought for both lines. This will allow operators to increase frequency of services and carry more people as the number of commuters taking the MRT continues to rise.

Last year, rail passengers made 2.65 million trips a day – 10 per cent more than in 2011.

The LTA will spend S$63.1 million to buy 13 more train cars for the Bukit Panjang LRT line – to be put into service from next year – and upgrade the radio system.

It will also pump in S$220.6 million to ramp up capacity on the Sengkang-Punggol LRT line, where passenger numbers have increased by an average of 15 per cent year on year.

An LTA spokesman said the cost would involve adding 16 train cars to the existing fleet of 41. It also factors in modification of the existing LRT system and infrastructure to enable a two-car train system by 2016.

Sengkang residents trying to take the LRT into the city have complained about crowding during the morning peak period. Some have resorted to going in the opposite direction and boarding at an earlier MRT stop.