Clementi MRT Station

 EW23 
Clementi MRT Station
金文泰地铁站
கிளிமெண்டி
Stesen MRT Clementi
Rapid transit

A C651 train at Clementi MRT station.
Location 3150 Commonwealth Avenue West
Singapore 129580
Coordinates 1°18′55.09″N 103°45′54.88″E / 1.3153028°N 103.7652444°E / 1.3153028; 103.7652444
Operated by SMRT Trains (SMRT Corporation)
Line(s)
  East West Line
Platforms Island
Tracks 2
Connections Bus, Taxi
Construction
Structure type Elevated
Platform levels 2
Disabled access Yes
Other information
Station code  EW23 
History
Opened 12 March 1988
Services
Preceding station   Mass Rapid Transit   Following station
towards Pasir Ris
East West Line
towards Joo Koon
Location

Clementi is an above-ground MRT station in the west of Singapore. Part of the East West Line, Clementi MRT Station is heavily used by commuters who live in Clementi itself or further west to go to work. It is also used by students in the National University of Singapore, Nan Hua High School and other schools around Clementi.

The tracks between this station and Jurong East is the second longest between any two stations on the East West Line, the longest being the tracks between Expo and Changi Airport MRT Stations. It takes four minutes for trains to travel between these two stations.

Clementi MRT Station, the new exit completed in 2015.
Information board outside paid area at new exit.
Faregates at the new exit

History

One of the older MRT stations in Singapore, Clementi was opened in 1988. The station is painted light blue, and with recent renovations a lift has been added for the benefit of commuters. The station and nearby track follows Commonwealth Avenue West, as do the Dover, Buona Vista, Commonwealth and Queenstown stations. Looking to the southwest one can see Clementi Central, with what was previously Commonwealth theatre, a McDonald's, and the bus interchange. At the northeast there is a connecting bridge to the nearby housing estate.

As with most of the stations along the East West Line, it was initially built without platform screen doors which prevents commuters from falling onto the train tracks. After several successful test at Jurong East, Yishun and Pasir Ris and eventually, installation of the half-height screen doors started on 19 April 2010 and operations commenced on 16 August 2010. It was the 4th above-ground station to have Half-Height Platform Screen Doors installed and in operational with Bukit Gombak.[1] Also, the station has been installed with MJ Air Tech High Volume, Low Speed (HVLS) Pro-Jet fans and commenced operations on 3 October 2012.

Train collision

On 5 August 1993, at around 7.53 am, two trains collided in the station. It appeared that one train had stopped at the station for longer than usual after experiencing a technical fault, and then a second westward train hit the first. 156 commuters were injured, many of whom were on their way to work. Eight were admitted to three hospitals, while the rest received outpatient treatment.

A four-member independent panel was subsequently formed by SMRT to conduct an inquiry into the accident. The panel was chaired by Chua Koon Hoe, deputy director-general of the Public Works Department of Singapore, with the members Chang Meng Teng, deputy chairman of the Public Transport Council, and Dr. Natarajan Varaprasad, principal of Temasek Polytechnic. Low Tien Sio, SMRTC's general manager (project administration) served as the secretary.

The results of the inquiry were announced by the SMRTC on 19 October 1993. Shortly after the accident The Straits Times had reported that an oil spill on the tracks was responsible for the second train's inability to brake in time.[2] Some 50 litres of oil had spilled from a locomotive doing maintenance work on the track in the pre-dawn hours of 5 August. SMRT staff had been alerted to the spill and had dispatched a cleaning crew to the neighbouring Buona Vista, but approval to access the tracks was delayed. Already ten trains had reported difficulty braking on the track that morning. The 11th train had to use its emergency brakes upon reaching Clementi station, and while it was waiting for the brakes to be recharged so that it could move off again, the 12th approached the station and could not brake in time to avoid hitting the 11th train.

The Communications Minister at that time, Mah Bow Tan, said that as the SMRT staff followed procedures and none were found to be negligent, so no staff would be punished. However SMRT promised to look into the problem of oil spillage from maintenance locomotives by replacing the hoses and oil seals on all locomotives, checking all locomotives for leaks upon their return to depots, and assigning a station master to inspect tracks for oil. Procedures were also amended so that trains would not move off from stations preceding the spill until it had been cleaned up.[3]

Station layout

L3 Platform A East West Line towards  EW1  Pasir Ris via  EW22  Dover (→)
Island platform, doors will open on the right
Platform B East West Line towards  EW29  Joo Koon via  EW24  NS1  Jurong East (←)
L2 EWL Concourse Faregates, Ticketing Machines, Station Control, The Clementi Mall, Footbridge (to cross Commonwealth Avenue West)
L1 Street Level Commonwealth Avenue West, The Clementi Mall, Clementi Bus Interchange, City Vibe

Transport connections

Rail

Destination First Train Last Train
Mon – Sat Sunday &
Public Holiday 		Daily
East West Line
to EW1 Pasir Ris 5.38am 6.06am 11.49pm
to EW29 Joo Koon 6.21am 6.47am 12.20am

Exits

Western Concourse

Eastern Concourse

Together with Queenstown and Commonwealth stations, this station will see the construction of an additional pedestrian link bridge linking the station to two new exits, one on each side of the road. The exits will be equipped with fare gates and ticketing machines. It was completed and opened on 25 August 2015.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Wong, Siew Ying (January 26, 2008). "Above-ground MRT stations to have platform screen doors by 2012". Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved February 1, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Oil spillage led to MRT train collision: Panel". The Straits Times. 20 October 1993.
  3. ↑ "SMRT told to tighten oil spill procedures". The Straits Times. 8 August 1993.
  4. ↑ "Enhancing Connectivity and Comfort for Commuters". LTA. 2011-10-13.

External links

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