Though public transport services are always expected to run properly without any disruptions, it’s a damn shame that the opposite is true these past few years where train delays and service stoppages are the norm.
That’s probably why Minister of Transport Khaw Boon Wan will take whatever milestone he can get — he announced the achievement of 100 disruption-free days for the North-South Line (NSL). The new Downtown Line on the other hand passed the 178-days’ mark and should reach 200 by next month.
“The entry of NSL is especially inspiring as it is our oldest line,” Khaw wrote on his blog, while also warning that they can’t rest on their laurels.
He also notes how daunting the challenges are, considering that the rail capacity is being expanded, ageing assets are being replaced and the power system is being upgraded at the same time.
“But our colleagues on the ground are undaunted,” he says. “They are pressing on, and putting in their best efforts, all thanks to the continued support of commuters and residents during the early closure of the North-South and East-West Lines”.
The previous milestone in which the Downtown Line hit 150 days without any service disruption wasn’t met with much joy though — purely because it was also the day that two young SMRT staff were killed in the line of duty. Call it just really bad timing or bad judgement, but netizens weren’t too happy about his celebratory tone in the midst of mourning.
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