Shereena Sajeed, 938LIVE Channel NewsAsia 4 Mar 09;
SINGAPORE: The world's largest underground depot off Upper Paya Lebar Road is officially open. Built at a cost of S$295 million and taking five years to complete, Kim Chuan Depot is the nerve centre of the upcoming circle line.
Besides housing the operation control centre of the new line, the depot will provide maintenance and washing facilities for the Circle Line's 77 three-carriage driverless trains.
The Land Transport Authority, which handed over the depot to SMRT, said the facility occupies 11 hectares of land. It is four storeys high, but half of it is below ground.
Security features highly in the setup. Deputy director of SMRT's Station Operations, Mr Chia Chun Wah, explained: "For example, we have a detailed card access system (and) only officers that are trained are given the access. Other general staff are not allowed to enter the area at all.
"On top of that, we also put in some motion-detecting system. For example, if there's an intrusion by a visitor, a guest or even officers into a protected area, the alarm system will sound."
Going underground is a strategic move to free up the land above for future industrial developments of up to nine storeys high. But that does not mean space underground is not optimally used, said SMRT CEO Saw Phaik Hwa.
"This is a very compact system here. I think we have done a very good job to ensure that we make the best use of the space. I mean, if you see the spare parts area over there, I think we only have two men to handle the thousands and thousands of spare parts, because it's all computerised," she said.
Ms Saw added that more than 300 staff have been hired for the Circle Line so far. She expects to hire a hundred more within the next 12 months.
The first phase of the Circle Line is due to open on May 30, with five stations in operation. These are Bartley, Marymount, Serangoon, Bishan and Lorong Chuan. The remaining 24 stations will open from 2010.
- 938LIVE/so
