Those tunnelling vibes are ‘to be expected’

Those tunnelling vibes are ‘to be expected’

Weekend • May 31, 2008

Zul Othman

zul@mediacorp.com.sg

VIBRATIONS are rattling your home and there is underground tunnelling work going on nearby for the construction of an MRT line. Should you be worried?

While such vibrations are “to be expected”, especially where tunnel boring machines cut through hard rocks, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has assured Singaporeans living in the vicinity of these sites, that safety measures here are comparable with those adopted internationally.

All tunnelling works are monitored “round the clock” by an array of instruments. And as a further safeguard, workers are also stationed at ground level “to keep a close watch”.

The authority was responding to Today’s queries reflecting questions raised by some Singaporeans after the road cave-in at Cornwall Garden. But before any tunnelling work is undertaken, the residents will be notified and their concerns addressed.

“In all our tunnelling works, a project communications team, comprising LTA’s staff and our contractor’s engineers, engages the residents and other stakeholders in the vicinity of the works,” said an LTA spokesperson.

“The project communications team explains the nature of the works and is always on-hand to address stakeholders’ concerns,” he added.

And if further clarifications are needed, they can always call either the contractor’s or LTA’s hotline at 1800-2255-582 (1800 CALL-LTA).

The Cornwall Garden road cave-in has been a hot topic among residents living in areas where new MRT lines are being built.

Last week, an 8m by 7m stretch of road disappeared into 3m-deep crater. No one was hurt in the accident, which occurred above a tunnel boring machine where works were taking place for the train line connecting the new stations at Holland Village and Farrer Road.

Nonetheless, the authority would like to assure residents near new MRT lines that this tunnelling method is a “relatively safe operation with manageable level of risks and is still the most efficient and effective way of constructing tunnels”.

It is also necessary, added the spokesperson. “Underground land transport infrastructure is still the most effective way to optimise our dense landscape,” he said.

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