Friday, May 13, 2016

Ineffective MRT Sound Barriers

In land scarce cities like Singapore and Hong Kong, it is inevitable that we will have to build our rail system in extremely close proximity to our housing estates or flats.

It is important that we take a serious view of the noise pollution of the subway/MRT that will cause health problem in the long term.

In 2011 GE, while my team was contesting in Tampines, we have raised the issue of health hazard due to the close proximity of the MRT rail built next to the various HDB flats, especially those in Tampines.

After the GE, SMRT started their so call "noise barrier" experiment but is it effective? Is it the right kinds of Sound barriers needed to reduce the noise from the track sufficiently?

I present my photo essay here on the inadequacy of MRT's "noise barriers"

I have put up an example of how Hong Kong MTR design their Sound barrier as compared to Singapore SMRT.




This photo shows the MTR system in Hong Kong. Arrow A points to the Covered Sound Barrier which it has built when the track is built close to the flat.

Arrow B is the strain station which is build underneath the housing estate, noise completely blocked from above.

This is the most effective Sound barrier.


This is the Sound Barrier built by Singapore SMRT. Observe how close the track is built next to the HDB flat. But the sound barrier is really pathetic.

First, unlike the HK sound barrier, it did not cover the whole track from top to bottom. Secondly, it is not even high enough to be effective! This is because sound will bouce off from the train and it will bounce off towards the flat.

At the very least, the Sound Barrier has to be as high as the train itself! It is a sloppy ineffective design.
 

Look at the whole straetch of rail sitting next to the flats but no Sound Barriers built.

It is a common sight that MRT tracks cut through HDB estates with BOTH sides populated with HDB flats.

We do not know how many such Sound Barriers have been built as they have promised.MRT has just quietly stop mentioning about their ineffective Sound Barrier experiment altogether!



It is surprisng that even those who live in private condominiums suffered the same fate but yet, they didn't make noise or demand for proper Sound Barriers to be built!

The issue of building effective Sound Barriers to MRT tracks as well as Expressway is NOT new. I have raised it several times in this blog since 2004.

Goh Meng Seng

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

But why would PAP want to build effective sound barriers when they could win elections and by elections anyway?

If I were PAP, perhaps I will build a sound barrier to show that PAP care for Sinkies well being but whether it is effective or not, it is Sinkies die their business.

Anonymous said...

The comment by Mr Goh Meng Seng is misleading. The structure pointed out as noise barrier is obviously a MRT station. There are building beyond the station and there is no sound barrier.

Pok Kai said...

CLASSIC: ๐Ÿ“™๐Ÿ“™๐Ÿ“™๐Ÿ“™๐Ÿ“™
A book
which people praise,
but never read

SMILE: ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š
A curve
that can set
a lot of things straight!

OFFICE: ๐Ÿ“๐Ÿ“ ๐Ÿ–จ๐Ÿ’ป⌨⏳๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘€
A place
where you can relax
after your strenuous
home life



ETC: ๐Ÿค”๐Ÿค”๐Ÿค”๐Ÿค”๐Ÿค”
A sign
to make others believe
that you know
more than
you actually do

COMMITTEE: ๐Ÿค‘๐Ÿค‘๐Ÿค‘๐Ÿค‘๐Ÿค‘
Individuals
who can do
nothing individually
and sit to decide
that nothing can be done
together

EXPERIENCE: ๐Ÿ—ฃ๐Ÿ—ฃ๐Ÿ—ฃ๐Ÿ—ฃ๐Ÿ—ฃ
The name
men give
to their
Mistakes


PHILOSOPHER: ๐Ÿ‘ค๐Ÿ‘ค๐Ÿ‘ค๐Ÿ‘ค๐Ÿ‘ค
A fool
who torments himself
during life,
to be spoken of
when dead

REPOTERS :๐Ÿ‘ค๐Ÿ‘ค๐Ÿ‘ค๐Ÿ‘ค๐Ÿ‘ค

GOD has written. GOD has spoken. Lets worship and give our blessings.๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š



OPPORTUNIST: ๐Ÿ‘ฅ๐Ÿ‘ฅ๐Ÿ‘ฅ

A person
who starts taking bath
if he
accidentally falls
into a river

OPTIMIST: ๐Ÿ‘ฎ๐Ÿ‘ฎ๐Ÿ‘ฎ๐Ÿ‘ฎ๐Ÿ‘ฎ
A person
who while falling
from EIFFEL TOWER
says in midway
"SEE I AM NOT INJURED YET!"

PESSIMIST: ๐Ÿšถ๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿšถ๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿšถ๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿšถ๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿšถ๐Ÿฝ
A person
who says that
O is the last letter
in ZERO,
Instead of the first letter
in OPPORTUNITY

MISER: ๐Ÿšฒ๐Ÿšฒ๐ŸŽ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ›ฅ๐Ÿ›ฅ
A person
who lives poor
so that
he can die RICH!

CHARISMA:๐Ÿค‘๐Ÿค‘๐Ÿค‘๐Ÿค‘๐Ÿค‘
Gift of the gap sells.

CRIMINAL: ๐Ÿ”ซ๐Ÿ”ซ๐Ÿ”ซ๐Ÿ”ซ๐Ÿ”ซ
A guy
no different
from the other,
unless he gets caught

BOSS: ๐Ÿ•ต๐Ÿ•ต๐Ÿ•ต๐Ÿ•ต๐Ÿ•ต
Someone
who is early
when you are late
and late
when you are early

POLITICIAN: ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿฝ
One who
shakes your hand
before elections
and shakes your Confidence
Later

DOCTOR: ๐Ÿ’‰๐Ÿ’‰๐Ÿ’Š๐Ÿ’Š๐Ÿ’Š๐Ÿ’ฐ๐Ÿ’ฐ๐Ÿ’ฐ
A person
who kills
your ills
by pills,
and kills you
by his bills! ๐Ÿ˜„๐Ÿ˜„๐Ÿ˜„๐Ÿ˜„๐Ÿ˜„๐Ÿ˜„๐Ÿ˜„๐Ÿ˜„๐Ÿ˜„๐Ÿ˜„๐Ÿ˜„๐Ÿ˜„๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚



YOUR ENEMIES:๐Ÿ”ซ๐Ÿ”ซ๐Ÿ”ซ๐Ÿ”ซ
Be careful what you wish for.๐Ÿ”ซ๐Ÿ”ซ๐Ÿ”ซ๐Ÿ”ซ๐Ÿ”ซ

Superb definitions. ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š
Just for laughs๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚

Anonymous said...

Being a human being and being human. Most or not all are just a transit for paycheck in a job. The approval that there were no emergency back doors for fire emergencies.........The approval that people are living like fishes with hardly any concrete but overtook by full glass where curtains were mainly shut............................Motto, We wash our hands, up to you how you want to wash yours............Damn funny.

Anonymous said...

New norm the super high buildings grim reminders of the 9-11 twin towers. Poor designs and planning.

Anonymous said...

The EVIL that is in the world almost always comes of IGNORANCE, and good intentions may do as much HARM as malevolence if they LACK UNDERSTANDING. Albert Camus, The
Plaque.

Anonymous said...

It’s important to realize that whenever you give POWER to politicians or bureaucrats, it will be used for what they want, not for what you want. Harry Browne

During the dark ages, a can of coke costs 3cts. Today its $1.60. The buying POWER of the dollar depreciates.

Anonymous said...

Our founding father Harry Lee and his team of first generation leaders grew today's Singapore from a tiny backwater without the benefit of GST, COEs, capital gains tax, you name it tax etc. etc, rather strange that now all these taxes, levies blah blah are deemed necessary. Harry and his old team hearts were a better life for the people rather than exploitations for $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

And may I add about today:-)

As long as it fits their agenda.

We are kids in their custody.

The different little empire is mine.

Most have no feelings means they are half dead.

A marathon that pushes people to their limits.



Power and control is like a drug.

There were lots of ifs, but few answers.

Keep fuelling themselves with we know best, one day will run out of gas.

We love the Lion City. Jeeez





Pok Kai said...

SUPERB_ Definitions

Wonderfully described definitions.......

CIGARETTE: ๐Ÿ’ฃ๐Ÿ’ฃ๐Ÿ’ฃ☠☠☠
A pinch of tobacco
rolled in paper
with fire at one end
and a fool at the other!

LECTURE: ๐Ÿ“š๐Ÿ“š๐Ÿ“š๐Ÿ“š๐Ÿ“š
An art of transmitting Information
from the notes of the lecturer
to the notes of students
without passing through the minds
of either

CONFERENCE: ๐ŸŽ™๐ŸŽ™๐ŸŽ™๐ŸŽ™๐ŸŽ™
The confusion of one man
multiplied by the
number present

COMPROMISE: ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿพ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿพ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿพ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿพ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿพ
The art of dividing
a cake in such a way that
everybody believes
he got the biggest piece