SBS Transit Held Accountable for Distressing Incident at Punggol MRT Station

In a groundbreaking ruling, SBS Transit, the operator of Singapore's North East Line, has been declared "100% responsible" for a harrowing incident where a woman was trapped between train doors at Punggol MRT station. This decision follows a civil lawsuit filed by the affected passenger, Ms. Ng Lai Ping, stemming from the events of June 27, 2022.

During the incident, Ms. Ng alleges she was caught between the doors for a staggering 12 seconds, although SBS Transit’s CCTV footage claims the time was only one to two seconds. On August 13, District Judge Sim Mei Ling determined that SBS Transit had indeed failed in its duty of care towards Ms. Ng.

The Events Leading to the Incident

Ms. Ng had boarded the train at Sengkang MRT station, planning to travel to Little India MRT station via Punggol. She asserted that an announcement about the train service resuming was made while the train was in transit to Punggol, but there was ambiguity regarding this in court.

According to Ms. Ng's account, when the train reached Punggol, she remained seated, unaware that passengers were expected to disembark. With dimmed lights in the carriage—save for the door illumination—she was caught off guard by the closing doors as she attempted to exit, leading to her injury.

Safety Protocols Under Scrutiny

In her claim, Ms. Ng criticized SBS Transit for a lack of audible warnings about the train's status, alleging that no staff entered her carriage to prompt passengers to alight. She contended that none of the train's crew were stationed to assist her as she prepared to exit.

Refuting her claims, SBS Transit maintained that proper protocols were followed, claiming that announcements notifying passengers of the train's operational status were made. However, their evidence lacked direct audio proof, and footage showed staff ostensibly neglecting the fifth carriage.

Judge's Findings and the Next Steps

In light of the evidence—and a supportive witness account from other passengers—the judge concluded that it was more probable than not that the proper announcements were not communicated effectively. The court found it troubling that SBS Transit failed to call available staff to testify about their procedures.

As the case moves towards determining the injuries sustained by Ms. Ng and potential damages, SBS Transit has 14 days to file an appeal against the judgment. This incident raises vital questions about passenger safety and operational procedures at one of Singapore’s busiest transit systems.

A Wake-up Call for Public Transport Safety

As more details emerge, the spotlight is on public transportation safety protocols. With the public keenly following the developments of this case, it remains to be seen what changes will be implemented to prevent a recurrence of such distressing incidents in the future.