[Advisory] Harbour Front MRT to Require Commuters to Undergo Security Screening

Are you always rushing to get on a scheduled train ride? Mark your calendar to avoid any unwarranted delay and any unpleasant travel experience sometime in August, as there will be a scheduled security screening at entry and exit points in certain MRT stations in the city.

Security checks are common during preparation for city-wide events, but as part of the government’s commitment to secure public safety for residents, certain events such as this one may be scheduled on a regular basis to check systems set in place by relevant authorities to ensure proper coordination and preparedness on the part of the public in times of emergency or any untoward incident in facilities involved.

Credits: LTA

Commuters to Undergo Screening During Annual Security Exercise – LTA

In line with this, authorities have notified commuters taking the North East Line and Circle Line to and from HarbourFront MRT station regarding a scheduled security screening on Aug 2, as shared in a report by Channel News Asia.

The exercise is part of an emergency preparedness exercise conducted by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), as well as SBS Transit and SMRT.

The security exercise on Aug 2 will take place between 10am and 4pm, according to the LTA and transport operators in a joint statement released on July 17 (Wednesday).

During this event, commuters may be asked to go through metal detector checks and have their belongings scanned through X-ray machines.

Furthermore, a mass screening device will also be set up. This equipment can detect possible threats such as explosives and firearms in bags or concealed under a person’s clothing.

The event, known as the Exercise Station Guard, this would be the second event of this nature for this year. The exercise will highlight the government’s efforts to strengthen the security response at Singapore’s public transport network and familiarise the public with what to do during an emergency.

These kinds of exercises have been staged since February of last year.

On the scheduled day of the exercise, August 2 (Friday), all commuters entering HarbourFront MRT station will be directed towards the fare gates near exits A, B, C and D to undergo security screening.

Meanwhile, commuters exiting the station will be directed to the fare gate clusters at exit E, towards VivoCity.

In preparation for this exercise, commuters are advised to factor in additional time for the security screening so as to avoid unnecessary commotion and inconvenience on the part of the riding public, brought about by misinformation and the lack of preparation among the commuters themselves.

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