Full height platform doors is not possible and even if possible,
it will be a big engineering challenge. Reason being the elevated
MRT stations, built more than 10 years ago, were not designed to
add in additional building structures that could add in other
structures in future, eg PSD.
The manufacturer of the PSD for retroffiting of existing
stations is Kaba from Switzerland. And the world's first
retrofitting of MRT underground stations in adding the PSD is the
Hong Kong's MTR TKE line. Completed not long ago, it is the
first known engineering feat to retrofit existing stations because
it is extremely difficult to do, eg, if not careful, could damage
the existing lightning arrester system on the platform - cannot
even drill through the platform floor without first modify the
system.
Subsequently, the first half height PSD was installed in Taiwan,
followed by Paris and now Singapore.
These projects were awarded to Kaba directly. The first
few PSD were totally manufactured in Switzerland and assembled at
the site. Subsequent PSD were locally fabricated with close
supervision by Kaba.
Hence, it is interesting that the contract for the Singapore MRT
was awarded to Singapore Technologies Electronics (a Singapore
GLC). STE will earned at least S$15m to S$30m pure profit as
most engineering are undertaken by Kaba which also benefited from
their previous experiences of retrofitting MRTs.
The recent Straits Times reported pointed out that the Paris PSD
half height contract is lesser than the Singapore PSD project,
although it has lesser PSD. What the reporter failed to
mentioned is that in the Singapore PSD project, there is another
"layer" of contractor which is STE and hence the costs is
higher.
Wondering why Kaba cannot be awarded the contract directy to
save the S$15m to S$30m since they are manufacturer of the PSD and
they could easily form the PSD project team for the Singapore PSD
project.
Is this another instance of the Singapore GLC way of securing
projects and depriving private companies to be involved in these
projects? Another way of money left pocket out and right
pocket in?
