12/25/2011

Let it flood, let it flood

Problems, problems everywhere. Orchard Road is turning into a river and the Environment Minister is hard cracking his head on how to solve this problem. Someone said it would be so costly to construct a drainage system that it is better to live with it. I can’t believe the numbers, if a safety and timing system for the MRT to run from 5 min to 3 min intervals would cost billions of dollars. Now this money can be saved as there is no need to run the train faster any more when commuters got used to slower train speed.

Our great economic growth formula is only half way there and the constraints are already causing bottle necks and everything to break down. How would the world class infrastructure cope if our population goes to 6m, 8m or 10m? We have congestions and squeezes everywhere. Congestions on the roads and people are forced to take public transport and taxis and the latter had no choice but to raise fares because of higher operating costs. Buses that have to navigate the estates and congested roads are not going to be of much help.

Now a brilliant solution to the road congestion problem is proposed. River taxis plying from Clark Quay to Marina Barrage will be a viable alternative to relieve road congestions, and commuters will be pleased. I know some will be. I have still got to find the reason for going to Marina Barrage. For those staying in Woodlands and other outlying towns, they still need to find their ways to Clark Quay before taking the faster river buses to Marina Barrage, for what I dunno. Beats me.

But if one views the problem from a bigger perspective, it may really be workable. No need to waste billions of dollars to re design and construct a drainage system. Let if flood, the natural way. With global warming, many parts of the island will be underwater anyway. There were suggestions of building a dyke all round the island to keep the sea away. The costs must be enormous. See, let it flood and build a new infrastructure with Orchard Road and many other roads as canals and rivers. Instead of wasting money and effort to fight nature, live with nature, climate change and global warming. The romantising of Venice of the East could come true.

And we need not worry about road congestion and high COEs. No fear of MRT breakdowns and being trapped with poor ventilation. Everyone can own a sampan or a speed boat to go about. Travelling on water could be the next transport option across the island, no need to be forced to escape the congestion and take river taxis to Marina Barrage.

And all landed properties just be rebuilt into high rise towers as that will come naturally when the island goes under water in times to come. Letting it flood and living with the flood is so much easier and efficient and cheaper.

15 comments:

  1. If Venice thrives on water
    so can Sin.
    Flood or sink, Sin thrives!

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  2. I was in Orchard road last night chrismas eve. I was tonged out in shots, with umbrella in hand hopinhg it would rain buckets and that there will be a chance to wade through flood waters like the days when we were boys. bUT no luck!

    the once in fifty years flooding has now become a frequent seasonal occurence. Now we know that that deadwood has been talking cock.

    Yeah, let this island flood. It has been sinking by a few mm every year. Landed property owners are advised to sell their houses and invest in kelongs instead if they do not fancy stayhing in pigeon holes.

    Just wondering whats the excuse this time other than the clogged drainage system.

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  3. IMO,No need to waste money on the improvement.Its like throwing money into the water.Flood is natural.What is not natural is that Sinkies get panic over such floods.
    Its poor planning of the developer and their inability to see far ahead to take safety precaution and the ignorance of city folks that make this sounds scary.
    This is nature,cannot blame anyone.You all should not bark at the wrong trees.
    State fund should only be use wisely and when necessary.
    Sometimes,having natural disaster may not necessary be a bad thing.
    Water means luck.More water may mean a sign that we are getting more prosperous.Lets accept it .
    Lets welcome the Dragon and nature.
    Let us begin with a new year of luck,prosperity and happiness.

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  4. Trust our experts to trust experts to solve the flooding problem. After more than a year of implementing experts solutions, the flood persisted

    Moral of the story?

    If you plug the assholes, the fart/flood will come out of the mouths.

    But hey, at least experts are very well paid to stick their fingers up governments experts?

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  5. But hey, at least experts are very well paid to stick their fingers up governments experts ASSHOLES?

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  6. Is no longer called flood. According to authorities, is called "Ponding".

    Let it ponding, let it ponding, let it ponding.

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  7. Hahaha

    From flood to ponding. Trying to pull a fast one on naive Singaporeans yet again. But at least this cost nothing compared to throwing good money on trying to rename Marina Bay to Marina Bay.

    Maybe they think it will still work to eliminate the bad connections with floods.

    Holy shit, it will work. Remember Bus drivers were renamed 'bus captains'. Gardeners became 'landscape technicians'. Toilet cleaners became 'health workers' or something like that.

    Best of all they have even completely eliminated whole constituencies like Anson and Cheng San in order not to evoke the bad connotation. So, flooding will be eliminated forever from Singaporean's vocabulary in time to come. Hopefully!

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  8. Pond? Sounds dirty.

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  9. Finally someone spelt shit correctly. Last few days people were mispelling shit without the 'i' and smart without the 'a'.

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  10. El Nina weather pattern, and probably some effects from climate change too. Expect more destruction. (watch food prices skyrocket in 2012)

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  11. Correction : LA Nina. Effect : winds push water toward SE Asia. December always rain... monsoon etc. La Nina makes the effect more severe

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  12. Wow... Singapore on water !

    Ok, very soon we have world-class SinCity name Singapice to rival Venice.

    Venice,
    you better watch out. We coming to replace you !

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  13. "From flood to ponding. Trying to pull a fast one on naive Singaporeans yet again."

    Indeed, they call it a pond yet there is no fish at all. No tadpole, no frog, no water insect. Who are they trying to kid ?

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  14. "No tadpole, no frog, no water insect. Who are they trying to kid ?
    December 26, 2011 11:43 AM", unquote.

    There shall be plenty of mosquitoes breeded. They will visit, even at 15th floor apartments and above(?). Amongst them Aedes breed.

    patriot

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  15. There are only two possibilities in resolving "ponding" problem. Both of which involves effective drainage - common sense.

    Two ways to go about draining. Either you physically alter the draining system, which is costly and definitely complicated in a compact city structure or draining through mechanization.

    I think the latter is cheaper,and more effective, because it utilizes existing drainage - without altering much.

    But knowing our stupid authority, they will listen to money draining experts - which has been proven to be ineffective thus far. LoL

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