SINGAPORE: Certain stretches of the MRT system along the North-South Line will have their rail support or timber sleepers replaced.
Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo said this is based on inputs from both SMRT and LTA.
Implementation details are currently being worked out.
Mrs Teo also said a single dislodged rail clip does not affect the safety of the rail operations significantly.
She
was responding to a question by MP for Chua Chu Kang GRC Alex Yam on
whether the integrity of the tracks have been compromised in light of
the recent incidents of rail clips dislodged from MRT tracks.
She added that rail tracks are inspected every night, including rail clips.
Any clip that is broken off is replaced upon detection.
Temporary
safety nets have also been installed between Dover and Jurong East
stations to minimise the dislodgement of rail clips.
Mrs Teo
said: "LTA has asked the operator to send the broken rail components
from the dislogdgements to a laboratory to analyse how damage may have
occurred as an additional check. The operator is required to give LTA a
full report on the incidence in due course."
Mr Yam had asked:
"Other than clips, there have been feedback from areas where tracks are
curved that some of the lining of the undercarriage of the tracks have
also occasionally dislodged. Are these also under SMRT and operators or
is this under LTA?"
Mrs Teo said: "SMRT is required to conduct
daily checks along the tracks and the LTA independently also conducts
checks of the via ducts and the tunnels every two months. If LTA
discovers (that) there are other dislodgements or defects they will
inform SMRT or the operator to replace it immediately."
- CNA/ck