Singapore, 24 April 2019

Rail Operations Centre envisions integration of SMRT's transport network operations

On 24 April 2019, the Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan officially opened SMRT’s Rail Operations Centre (ROC) at Kim Chuan Depot. The ROC comprises the Operations Control Centres (OCC) for the North-South, East-West and Circle Lines. Later this year, the ROC will also incorporate the Maintenance Operations Centre (MOC), currently located at Bishan Depot. With the ROC, SMRT envisions one place to house its key transport network operations, providing enhanced real-time situational awareness and integrated command and control, so as to achieve higher service reliability.

2. The plan for the ROC is to expand its capabilities to better coordinate contingency and recovery operations; bus operations; safety, security and cybersecurity efforts; service communications; and commuter services.

3. SMRT, with the support of the Land Transport Authority (LTA), relocated the North-South and East-West Lines’ (NSEWL) OCC to Kim Chuan Depot in March 2019, after more than three decades at Victoria Street. It is now sited next to the Circle Line’s (CCL) OCC within the same depot. This facilitates better integration of space, resources and facilities between the two OCCs.

4. SMRT Group CEO Neo Kian Hong said: “The relocation is a step towards a vision of an integrated Rail Operations Centre. This will optimise our resources, leverage technology and improve command and control to achieve higher standards of safety and reliability. I would like to thank LTA for their support and commend our Trains staff for their hard work in building this centre and the relocation of the OCC for the NSEWL. The new Rail Operations Centre marks our commitment to place our commuters at the heart of our service at SMRT.”

5. Celebrating the launch of the ROC, SMRT Chairman Seah Moon Ming said: “Since 1987, the OCC at Victoria Street has played a key role in moving millions of commuters daily across our North-South and East-West Lines. We have had many good memories there. As part of continuous improvement in operational capabilities, we now have a larger and more integrated operations centre to better serve our commuters.” 

6. At 265 square metres, the new NSEWL OCC is 50 per cent bigger than its previous home at Victoria Street. One of the key features of the new NSEWL OCC at Kim Chuan Depot is the digital Overview Display System (ODS) which provides real-time data visualisations of track and maintenance activities throughout the network. Some of the data displayed include traction power status and real-time location of trains as they move between stations. The ODS enhances our ability to identify potential faults and enables faster intervention during incidents.

7. The ROC is located close to the new SMRT HQ. In March 2019, the corporate office moved to new premises at Paya Lebar Quarter (2 Tanjong Katong Road, Tower 3, #08-01), which is two MRT stations away from Kim Chuan Depot on the Circle Line.

-end-