Reducing Necessity for Mass Evacuation of Passengers via Train Tracks During Incidents

Written Reply to Parliamentary Question 

Mr Cai Yinzhou asked the Acting Minister for Transport 

a.     what manual train or carriage recovery methods has LTA studied to reduce the necessity for mass evacuation of passengers onto the tracks;

b.     what specific plans are in place to improve the experience and safety for commuters with mobility aids such as seniors on wheelchairs or parents with strollers during emergency evacuation, especially in underground tunnel segments.

Reply by Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow: 

1.     The evacuation of commuters onto the tracks is a last resort that is only carried out when it is not possible to move a stalled train within a reasonable period of time, or in the event of emergency such as fire or smoke on a stalled train.

2.     Besides the use of rescue trains to move stalled trains so that passengers can disembark at stations, newer trains on the North-South and East-West Lines and the Jurong Region Line are equipped with batteries that enable them to reach the nearest station even when there is no traction power.

3.     During evacuation, operators follow protocols to ensure commuters are evacuated safely. Special attention is given to those with mobility challenges, such as the elderly and people on wheelchairs. Trained officers are deployed to evacuate such passengers. If a train is stalled between stations, Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) personnel are deployed to help evacuate such passengers safely. Train service is only resumed after all passengers are safely evacuated, and this is why sometimes train disruptions can take several hours to be resolved.

4.     As part of its work to improve rail reliability and incident response, the Rail Reliability Taskforce formed on 19 September 2025 will look into ways stalled trains can be recovered faster, with a view to further reducing instances where commuters must be evacuated onto the tracks.