SMRT’s iSafe enhances commuter safety on BPLRT

1. Singapore, 6 July 2023 – As part of our Kaizen for Safety movement to continuously enhance commuter safety in the Bukit Panjang LRT (BPLRT), SMRT has developed “iSafe” which leverages technology for timely response and intervention to safety-related situations and incidents.

2. The system, which was developed with the support of the Land Transport Authority, uses video analytics and carefully-positioned cameras to provide BPLRT’s Operations Control Centre (OCC) with real-time detection alerts of track intrusions, including when commuters step on to the track, and support efforts in dealing with such situations. iSafe can also monitor and detect commuters who stand close to the station platform edge so that OCC can provide early warning.

3. iSafe was launched today by Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment & Ministry of Transport, at the BPLRT Depot at Junction 10.

4. Mr Lam Sheau Kai, President, SMRT Trains, said: “The safety of commuters is our top priority, and this is a good opportunity to raise public awareness about the various safety measures in our network including the emergency stop buttons, intercoms to communicate with staff if assistance is needed, and emergency exits to guide commuters back to the platform safely. We spare no effort to do what we can to seek innovative solutions to enhance commuter safety.”

5. As the BPLRT has fixed barriers instead of platform screen doors at its stations, it was chosen for the implementation of iSafe to provide an added layer of enhanced safety for commuters.

6. iSafe was initiated in May 2022 and involved the installation of equipment such as additional cameras, network equipment, and servers. The project was completed in June 2023 – two months ahead of the original project timeline.

7. Currently, all platforms at BPLRT stations have prominent warning signs and PA announcements to remind commuters of the danger of track intrusion, and to stand behind the yellow line.  There are also signs at the platforms to remind commuters to use the emergency stop buttons to stop trains in emergency situations such as track intrusions. In addition, there are also prominent signs at the track to guide commuters with directions to return to the platform safely via the emergency exit. Together with these measures, iSafe offers an additional layer of protection which form a holistic system to enhance commuter safety on the BPLRT.

8. SMRT will monitor the performance of iSafe and continue to finetune the artificial intelligence-based system to optimise its effectiveness.

9. iSafe is part of SMRT’s ongoing efforts to continuously leverage technology to enhance the safety of commuters when they travel on its transport network.

10. In May 2023, the new iSecurity system, an initiative by SMRT Trains to explore and leverage digital technology to enhance security at MRT stations for commuters, featured in Exercise Ferrovia, a counter-terrorism exercise organised by the Singapore Police Force at Raffles Place MRT station. iSecurity uses VA and Digital Twin technologies to provide continuous surveillance for real-time detection and alerts of security-related incidents for timely response and intervention.

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