SINGAPORE: When train disruptions occur, the morale of SMRT’s rail maintenance team takes a hit.
“Our first reaction is to probably feel a bit demoralised, or even shaken because of the issue or the incident,” Mr Low Choon Keong, SMRT’s director of rolling stock, told reporters during a media visit showcasing overnight rail maintenance.
The visit came in the wake of recent high-profile disruptions, including a six-day service halt on the East-West Line between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations last September. In that incident, a defective axle box fell onto the tracks, causing a bogie to derail between Dover and Clementi stations.
The cause of the incident is still under investigation.
More recently, the Land Transport Authority announced it was probing the root cause of three separate MRT disruptions that took place within a week.
These incidents affect the staff emotionally but their immediate priority is to handle the issue and rectify it as soon as possible, Mr Low said. “After the rectification, we will definitely talk to staff or whoever needs encouragement or additional counselling … we will ensure that everybody’s mentality and morale will be taken care of,” he said.
“For each and every issue and learning moment, we will distil out all these important lessons learned, and then we will improve from there,” he said.
Despite the tough work environment – from limited time to complete a job to harsh conditions – the maintenance crew remains committed.
“The life of a maintenance staff in SMRT is tough, it’s really tough,” Mr Low quipped.
“We have to work within the constraints of the environment and do the task at hand, as well as be competent in handling the various machinery so that we can carry out our tasks efficiently.”
He hopes the public understands the confines and limitations that make rail maintenance especially tough.
To see just how challenging the job is, the media joined the SMRT maintenance team during an overnight rail replacement on Mar 11.
