FAP Awards MRT Line Works to PRC Company With Bad Track Record

[makapaaa]

[h=2]Netizen concerned about Shanghai Tunnel Engineering building our tunnels[/h]

July 26th, 2013 |

Author: Contributions

Below are my views of LTA projects awarded to and undertaken by Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co Ltd:

Can we rely on Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co Ltd for safety and reliability – with their track records?
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It shocks me that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has awarded the contract to construct Thomson Line tunnels in Woodlands to a China company, Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co Ltd (STE) – LTA awards $421M tunneling contract to Shanghai Tunnel Engineering (TRE Editorial 26[SUP]th[/SUP] July 2013).
I am baffled as to why LTA has done this – despite the disturbing revelations about STE (quote):

1. It was involved in the construction of a subway tunnel in Shanghai that collapsed, costing the city Rmb 150M (SG$30M).
2. Three of its executives were arrested for negligence in the tunnelling project.
3. “The Shanghai authority even downgraded Shanghai Tunnel Engineering’s qualification status for urban construction projects.”

LTA’s judgement and decision begs the questions:

1. Was the contract tender done in compliance with Government tenders directives and procurement process. (The AGO’s 2013 Report gives us much diffidence and doubts ).
2. Was STE awarded the contract based on the cheapest tender price? Wouldn’t it be penny-wise pound-foolish; worse, risking Singaporeans’ (albeit slavish) lives?.
3. Is China’s widespread and well-known bribery/corruption culture likely to infect the contract or construction – resulting in unsafe works?

It shocks me even more that STE “are currently involved in a few LTA projects including the design and construction of Newton station and tunnels for Downtown Line 2, construction of tunnels between Tampines East station and Upper Changi station for Downtown Line 3 and the construction of viaducts for Tuas West Extension and Gul Circle station.” These projects that STE are “currently involved in” are works in progress; so we won’t know their safety and reliability until they are commissioned.
When the lines built by STE are completed and running, I would probably take the trains with trepidation – my subconscious reminding me of the collapse of the subway tunnel built by STE in Shanghai!

Edward

 

[laksaboy]

Has your HDB estate been upgraded recently? Chances are, a Tiong construction company did it.

Click this to find out why these businesses were given to Tiong companies.

 

[Leongsam]

Tunnels have collapsed in Sinkieland long before this contract was awarded. Nishimatsu was responsible.

 

[johnny333]

I think the PAP must know that they are unpopular & might lose a few more seats in parliament in the next few GE's. So they are trying to make as much $$$ with what time they have left

 

[xingguy]

Tunnels have collapsed in Sinkieland long before this contract was awarded. Nishimatsu was responsible.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicoll_Highway_collapse
The body of the 40-year-old Singaporean was never recovered. According to survivor accounts, Heng had selflessly hurried his workers to safety but himself was trapped when the collapse occurred. Heng left behind his wife, two young children, his 70-year-old mother and nine siblings.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

I think the PAP must know that they are unpopular & might lose a few more seats in parliament in the next few GE's. So they are trying to make as much $$$ with what time they have left

Yes. Their actions or sometimes inaction is proof of this.
Machiam looters plundering a sinking ship....get as much as fast as you can.

 

[borom]

This is what the opposition should bring up in Parliament-and compare the hundreds of millions and its impact on safety/lives compared to the hawker centre roof cleaning.
Chen Shao Mao has been too quiet for an international lawyer.

 

[blissquek]

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicoll_Highway_collapse
The body of the 40-year-old Singaporean was never recovered. According to survivor accounts, Heng had selflessly hurried his workers to safety but himself was trapped when the collapse occurred. Heng left behind his wife, two young children, his 70-year-old mother and nine siblings.

Yes I feel sad to hear that he is emtombed.....if Mr. Heng belongs to the elite, things will be different..

So the coming seventh month, if u pass by Nicoll Highway ,,,just murmur..Mr.Heng rest in peace...

 

[Leongsam]

So the coming seventh month, if u pass by Nicoll Highway ,,,just murmur..Mr.Heng rest in peace...

It's hard for him to RIP when he gets run over thousands of times daily. Singaporeans should boycott that stretch out of respect.

 

[PrinceCharming]

This is what the opposition should bring up in Parliament-

I would recommend the opposition to not bring it up in Parliament. Why? Pinky will find ways and means to justify LEEgime's actions.

The best is to for Sinkies to witness the frequent breakdowns of that MRT line constructed by the Ah Tiong company.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

I would recommend the opposition to not bring it up in Parliament. Why? Pinky will find ways and means to justify LEEgime's actions.

The best is to for Sinkies to witness the frequent breakdowns of that MRT line constructed by the Ah Tiong company.

Yes dun give then a chance to wiggle out.
Let another Nicholl Highway accident happen and kill a few more sinkies (hopefully from the 60.1%).....

 

[Cestbon]

All is about cost. PRC can built at half the cost compare to Japan or Ah Moh.
So do u want transport fare to be double???
How many or % willing to pay double???

 

[laksaboy]

All is about cost. PRC can built at half the cost compare to Japan or Ah Moh.
So do u want transport fare to be double???
How many or % willing to pay double???

It's not so much about costs as it is about profits.

If you hadn't realized already, they tend to always opt for the cheapest option for building infrastructure, and yet those savings never did seem to get passed down to the commuters.

Public transport is a public good, and to ignore legitimate safety concerns for the sake of getting more money isn't a very sensible thing to do.

 

[escher]

All is about cost. PRC can built at half the cost compare to Japan or Ah Moh.
So do u want transport fare to be double???
How many or % willing to pay double???

You fucking joking!

Since when the cost of building or cost of anything in Stinkapore determine what you are gouged and screwed to pay?

Cost of HDB is about 44k to build per unit
You are told the subsidised price to you is 400k

Cost of health and what we got to pay to those PAP bastards have no fucking relationship to the cost

What we have to pay to PAP ministers and paper generals and kangaroos and civil serpents have no relationship at all to what they produce for us

You not a financial expert even if you pose yourself as a fucking financial expert
Maybe a PAP spindoctor here is about what you are in which case, you are paid to talk fucking utter rubbish

GO STICK YOUR FUCKING HEAD BELOW WATERLINE OF PUBLIC TOILET BOWL AND RECITE THE SCHOOL PLEDGE 10 TIMES

 

[winnipegjets]

The PAP government has no money to pay and thus have to get the Chinese to build it on credit. The Chinese provides low interest credit for such projects. That's the same reason the Malaysian government awarded the Penang second bridge project to the Chinese.

 

[Troll]

I would recommend the opposition to not bring it up in Parliament. Why? Pinky will find ways and means to justify LEEgime's actions.

The best is to for Sinkies to witness the frequent breakdowns of that MRT line constructed by the Ah Tiong company.

Ideally they screw up in epic fashion, then everybody can easily uncover the bad track records of this Ah Tiong company. Which calls to question why LTA never check track records and just award contract blindly? Who is sleeping at the helm?

 

[Troll]

It's not so much about costs as it is about profits.

If you hadn't realized already, they tend to always opt for the cheapest option for building infrastructure, and yet those savings never did seem to get passed down to the commuters.

Public transport is a public good, and to ignore legitimate safety concerns for the sake of getting more money isn't a very sensible thing to do.

It is also about laziness. It is much easier to give the contract to the lowest bidder because they don't have to justify anything to the top management.

That is why we have MRT tunnels that has flooding issues which is bad enough to cause electrical problems. And why the heck water seepage can cause electrical issues? Shouldn't wires be water proofed? Because they went for the cheaper (if not the cheapest) tender. To cap it all off, some of the new trains are PRC made, and we wonder why NEL, Circle lines are relatively new, but break down so quickly.

All these problems because of the perennial issue of cheapest tender wins.

 

[Cestbon]

You fucking joking!

Since when the cost of building or cost of anything in Stinkapore determine what you are gouged and screwed to pay?

Cost of HDB is about 44k to build per unit
You are told the subsidised price to you is 400k

Cost of health and what we got to pay to those PAP bastards have no fucking relationship to the cost

What we have to pay to PAP ministers and paper generals and kangaroos and civil serpents have no relationship at all to what they produce for us

You not a financial expert even if you pose yourself as a fucking financial expert
Maybe a PAP spindoctor here is about what you are in which case, you are paid to talk fucking utter rubbish

GO STICK YOUR FUCKING HEAD BELOW WATERLINE OF PUBLIC TOILET BOWL AND RECITE THE SCHOOL PLEDGE 10 TIMES

Cost of building HDB BTO is about $100 to $ 130 psf on average. Where do u get $44/psf??? Then u should tender the project .
Tender is open bid everyone get to see.

 

[looneytan]

Cost of building HDB BTO is about $100 to $ 130 psf on average. Where do u get $44/psf???

he said 44k

 

[peppertail]

So which established tunneling company has a flawless track record? I doubt there are any and you will end up digging the tunnels yourself.