With just six more days to go till the launch of stage two of the Downtown Line, Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan has politely reminded that some hiccups should be expected in the first couple of months.
Engineers have informed Khaw that commuters should expect a “bedding-in” period (lasting several months) for the 12 new stations before the system properly stabilises.
“This is common for all new lines,” wrote the minister on his Moving News blog. “While they can perform all forms of testing in a simulated environment, they cannot fully replicate how the system will actually perform in a live environment involving thousands of commuters.”
He noted that the first phase of the Downtown Line didn’t exactly go smooth when it first started; two service disruptions rocked the line early last year. With the extended Downtown Line — which includes stations in Bukit Panjang, Botanic Gardens, King Albert Park, Sixth Avenue and more — it’s only inevitable that disruptions will take place again.
“But we are working hard to minimise any disruptions in this teething process,” said Khaw. “We must also anticipate the worst, and have drawer plans for contingencies in the event that disruptions do occur.”
