8/19/2009
Regulator did not overpay for MRT doors
This is the heading of an article in the ST today in response to the gripes in cyberspace over the cost of MRT screen doors. The article quoted 3 other sources for comparison.
Half height doors
1. SMRT at $65.6k per door
2. Paris at $47k per door
3. Taipei's Danshui/Nangang lines at $84k per door
Full height doors
4. Taipei's Neihu Line at $54.7k per door.
Just the numbers, Taipei's Danshui/Nangang lines are the most expensive. But these were built in 2006 when material costs were much higher.
The other 3 were built around the same period which are better comparison. The Paris line is being built by a Swiss company and their labour and material cost cannot be cheaper than ours. But they are 34.7% cheaper. The Neihu line is full height doors and is still 16.6% cheaper.
The best comparison is between the Paris line and ours as the number of doors built are 1992 and 1920 respectively. And both are half height. Length of lines are 10km for Paris and 11km for our MRT. Both are being installed now.
The numbers say that we are paying much more than Paris and Neihu lines. True or not?
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4 comments:
What is a few tens of thousands compared to what they overpaid for buying into the western banks during the onset of the financial crisis.
They can give the same argument that this is also for the long term, so even if they overpaid, no sweat lah!
anyway the media is not questioning whether this statement is true. even at $65k, it is very expensive to erect screens and doors. it is a dead issue. the amount spent is reasonable. all $126m, period.
Human life is priceless. S$126m to save human lifes, can lah.
There's probably some kick-back arrangement or some other form of corruption going on.
Hey folks, it's a govt contract. Corruption and kick backs are the norm. Wake up and smell the kopi-money lah!
Fact: It is impossible to have a govt which is free of corruption.
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