Singaporeans need MRT operators to be responsible for breakdowns and delays. Without accountability, Singaporeans can expect further breakdowns.
Editorial
The Smart Nation Initiative in Singapore started with the deployment of sensors island-wide. The government intends for Singaporeans to actively participate in the initiative. But this has not been so. The idea of Smart is still far removed from daily lives. The hope is Singapore will eventually be a smarter nation in technology deployment.
Frequent MRT breakdowns affect commuters’ life
It is ironic that while the government pursues a smarter development strategy, the existing MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) system breaks down ever so frequently. Delays and breakdowns are now a monthly affair, sometimes weekly. Is Singapore serious about delivering smart city infrastructure?
Source: LTA
Frequent breakdowns affect Singaporeans’ life. First, the government has made cars unaffordable. Second, it has allowed breakdowns to happen. Third, it has not delivered the management change that Singaporeans have voiced out for.
MRT should take responsibility for the delays
The MRT has failed Singaporeans and the Smart Nation Initiative by failing to guarantee travels promptly. It has violated the trust that Singaporeans placed in the system and the government. Despite repeated violations, the MRT management is not afraid to fail, and fail again. There is simply little consequence for the senior management members of the MRT.
Singaporeans now cannot depend on the MRT system when they travel for examinations. There is a significant risk that the ride will be delayed. The deterioration of the MRT service started in the early 2010s when trains became overly crowded. Some defended the system by quoting Japan’s train system as an example. Later, trains broke down. Today, not only trains break down, but the MRT managers deliberately slow down the trains to avoid breaking down. As long as the train moves, the “delay” would not be considered a total breakdown. This is all a play of statistics.
Singaporeans need MRT operators to be responsible for breakdowns and delays. Without accountability, Singaporeans can expect further breakdowns.
