DSTA engineers to help SMRT with train maintenance efforts

SCDF personnel clearing the flooded MRT tunnel during October’s flooding incident. (PHOTO: SCDF)
SCDF personnel clearing the flooded MRT tunnel during October’s flooding incident. (PHOTO: SCDF)

Five engineers from the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) will spend up to six months with SMRT Trains to support its train maintenance regime.

The engineers “have developed the know-how to manage complex engineering projects from concept to deployment, through to mid-life upgrades and replacement”, said a statement from SMRT on Thursday (9 November).

The DSTA team “will review and recommend improvements to SMRT’s (Operations and Support) capability, covering organisation and policies, processes and procedures, and competency and training”, the statement added.

At the same time, a team from the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation will send a team to work with SMRT Trains to review the way the rail network is maintained.

The beleaguered rail operator has been under scrutiny since the flooding of a train tunnel between Bishan and Braddell MRT stations in October disrupted North-South Line services for some 20 hours.

An SMRT statement on 31 October also revealed that maintenance records for the anti-flood system at Bishan MRT had been falsified, with no actual works having been conducted for over a year leading up to the incident.

The rail operator has also received flak from commuters for the lack of announcements about recent disruptions during the morning rush hour.

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