Singapore’s Infallible Infrastructure

This could be the shortest blog entry I’m attempting to do but here’s a thought.

Having been proud of our infrastructure that have been painstakingly built since independence in 1965, the infallible infrastructure has begun to show cracks.

1. We begin to have floods more frequently now – the same problem that was addressed post-independence. No need to speak too much about this.
   

   Orchard Road Flood

2. SMRT facing a major technical breakdown since it was constructed in the late 80’s.

SMRT Breakdown

What could be the next possible shake-up that could rock Singapore’s previously thought to be infallible infrastructure?

We’re still addressing the flood situation more than a year into it and we’re doing a pretty good job at it. Land Transport Authority (LTA) has managed to identify poor maintainance done by SMRT and is currently rectifying the situation.

I’m guessing the next possible shake-up that could rock Singapore could actually cost lives to be lost.

What am I talking about here?

I’m talking about the possibility of homes built on reclaimed land to possibly just give way and sink into the waters. I’m talking particularly about the East Coast Area as well as Marina Bay area which is made up of reclaimed land, reclaimed many years ago. Possibly around the same time SMRT was constructed.

Why do I suspect that it could be next?

Simply because, and I’m not making this up, is because some of the sand that was used in the reclaimation process wasn’t legally obtained. There has been sightings in the sea by vessel Captains including my dad and this is probably knowledge amongst most in the shipping industry that sand was stolen from Batam via a vessel that ‘vacuums’ the sand from the bottom of the sea.

As far as I’ve been informed and confirmed by a friend who used to work in the authorities in Batam that indeed, this has happened but action has never been taken because under the table money has exchanged hands.

How true is this?

I wouldn’t be able to verify it but I’m just guessing that IF indeed such information is true, then perhaps the reclaimed land could possibly just give way to mother nature one fine day and for the very first time, Singapore would experience catastrophe over the infrastructure that it has so proudly showed off to the world but until that day comes, I hope Singaporeans would be more humble of its’ achievements and realise that we’re overcrowding this small island which could actually sink should there be an imbalance in weight (I was told that Singapore is perched atop an undersea structure and is being supported by a really thin stem).