Kim Chuan Depot : world's largest and
safest underground depot
The world' largest underground depot off Upper Paya Lebar Road
has been officially opened.
Built at a cost of $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 who handed over the depot to the
SMRT said the facility occupies 11 hectares of land.
It is four storeys high, but half of these are below ground.
Security features highly.
Deputy Director of SMRT's Station Operations, Mr Chia Chun Wah
explains.
"For example, we have a detailed card access system only
officers that are trained are given the access only, 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 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 doesn't mean space underground is not optimally used,
says 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."
The area which Ms Saw pointed to is the 23 metre high automated
warehouse storage system that can store over 24,000 spare parts for
the trains.
She said more than 300 staff have been hired for the Circle Line
so far.
She expects to hire a 100 more within the next 12 months as the
various stages of the Circle Line go online.
The first phase of the Circle Line is due to open on May the
30th, with five stations in operation.
These are Bartley, Marymount, Serangoon, Bishan and Lorong
Chuan.
The remaining 24 stations will open from 2010.
--938Live
