LTA forms Rail Reliability Taskforce with SMRT and SBS Transit to strengthen MRT system AURORATOTO GROUP

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s MRT system has had a rough patch recently, with commuters facing a series of frustrating delays. Now, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) says it is taking stronger action by forming a Rail Reliability Taskforce together with rail operators SMRT and SBS Transit.

The taskforce, chaired by LTA Chief Executive Ng Lang, will include SMRT Group CEO Ngien Hoon Ping, SBS Transit Group CEO Jeffrey Sim, and a team of technical specialists across the rail sector. According to LTA, the group’s mission is to develop immediate solutions to boost rail reliability, improve joint responses during service disruptions, and deliver final recommendations by the end of the year.

What the taskforce will do

The Rail Reliability Taskforce will first take a closer look at recent MRT incidents to pinpoint components that are nearing the end of their lifespan. This includes the North East Line (NEL) power system, which could see its renewal programme accelerated, and the NEL and Circle Line signalling systems, which may be strengthened in the short term before full renewal is due.

Beyond hardware, the taskforce will also conduct joint technical audits of critical systems. These audits are expected to examine the condition of assets, the way maintenance is carried out, and whether operational redundancies are strong enough. Staff training and competency will also be scrutinised.

When things do go wrong, the taskforce will review how incidents are handled. The goal, according to LTA, is to speed up service recovery without compromising commuter safety. This could mean adjusting procedures so that fewer detrainments are needed and ensuring officers on the ground are better trained to respond swiftly.

The initiative will be backed by a significant investment: the government has already committed an extra $1 billion over the next five years to strengthen rail capabilities, adopt new technologies, and support worker upskilling.

Netizens express their doubts

Online, the formation of the taskforce sparked some scepticism. One commenter on the Reddit forum wrote, “As long as we don’t fundamentally change our mindset, no task force is going to help with the problems.” This highlights immediate concerns that such committees may only scratch the surface.

Another added a tongue-in-cheek prediction: “I bet this would be the outcome: taskforce would form working groups. Then, working groups would conclude that more maintenance is needed. But then, [we will] need more money, so fares would increase. Also, we cannot find enough technicians, so we would adopt more AI in the industry.” The comment reflects a fear that commuters might ultimately bear the cost of change through fare hikes.

A third netizen was more blunt: “Seriously, this task force committee should have been formed decades ago. As a preventive maintenance approach, rather than firefighting now.” That frustration points to the long-standing belief that Singapore’s world-class MRT system should have been kept ahead of the curve instead of playing catch-up.

LTA and train operators to form rail reliability task force to address service disruptions
byu/sun-ny_day insingapore

As the taskforce begins its work, all eyes will be on whether the changes can deliver what really matters to commuters: shorter waits, fewer delays, and the confidence that the next train will arrive on time

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