Slow-Moving Collapse Probe Still Has Not Assigned Blame
Eight months after a Singapore mass-transit tunnel collapsed, the commission of inquiry has yet to determine why. Now in recess, it is expected to take a couple of months after it reconvenes in January to reach a verdict. The delay is prolonging confusion surrounding the project. Officials of the owner, Land Transport Authority, now say that recovering from the collapse will add two years to the schedule.
The commission on Aug. 2 began to investigate the April 20 collapse of the excavation for the Nicoll Highway Station on the Circle Line subway in which four workers were killed (ENR 5/17 p. 12). It was being built under a $158-million contract by a joint venture of Nishimatsu Construction Co., Tokyo, and Singapore-based Lum Chang Building Contractors.