East-West Line disruption: Assoc Prof Raymond Ong on the complexities of repairing track damage

The Land Transport Authority and SMRT have found three damaged point machines -- devices that help trains switch onto different tracks smoothly. Several power cables and rail clips also took a hit. In total, 34 rail breaks have been found across 1.6 kilometres of tracks between Clementi and Dover stations on the East-West Line. These rail breaks pose safety risks if left unrepaired. Associate Professor Raymond Ong, deputy head of research and enterprise at the NUS Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, spoke about the complexities involved in repairing the damage.