Simei MRT station

EW3  Simei 四美 ஸீமெய்
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station
The exterior of Simei station.
General information
Location	30 Simei Street 3 Singapore 529888
Coordinates	1°20′36.40″N 103°57′11.42″E / 1.3434444°N 103.9531722°E / 1.3434444; 103.9531722
Operated by	SMRT Trains Ltd (SMRT Corporation)
Line(s)	East–West Line
Platforms	2 (1 island platform)
Tracks	2
Connections	Bus, Taxi
Construction
Structure type	Elevated
Platform levels	1
Parking	Yes (Eastpoint Mall)
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Accessible	Yes
History
Opened	16 December 1989; 34 years ago (1989-12-16)
Electrified	Yes
Previous names	Tampines South
Passengers
June 2024	15,721 per day[1]
Services
Preceding station Mass Rapid Transit Following station Tampines towards Pasir Ris East–West Line Tanah Merah towards Tuas Link
Location Simei Simei station in Singapore

Simei MRT station is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the East–West line in Tampines, Singapore. Operated by SMRT Trains, the station serves the eponymous Simei residential estate and Eastpoint Mall. Other nearby landmarks include Changkat Primary and Secondary School.

First announced in May 1982 as Tampines South, it was to be constructed as part of Phase II of the MRT system. The name was later changed in 1983 to Simei station. Before constructing the station, 15,000 square metres (18,000 sq yd) of land was acquired for viaducts leading to the station. It commenced operations on 17 December 1988 along with the other stations on the Tanah Merah-Pasir Ris stations stretch, with the opening ceremony held in Simei station.

Built with an island platform, the station has a "rib cage" roof design with a distinctive colour of nutmeg brown on its restricted areas and ceiling trunking box for easier identification.

Simei station was first included in the early plans of the MRT system as Tampines South in May 1982.^[2] It was later announced to be part of Phase II of the MRT in October 1983 as Simei station.^[3]

Before the construction of the station, 15,000 square metres (18,000 sq yd) of land between Jalan Angin Laut and Sunbird Road was acquired in March 1985 to build viaducts to the station.^[4] Several joint ventures between companies were prequalified for Contract 306 by May 1985, which detailed the construction of Changi Depot to Pasir Ris station, including Simei station.^[5][6] Contract 306 was ultimately awarded to a joint venture between Resource Development Corporation (RDC) and Sata Kogyo for S$92 million (1986) (US$42.25 million) in March 1986.^[7] Construction of the station began in May 1985.^[8] Before it was opened publicly, there was a preview of the station for nearby residents.^[9] The station was opened along with Tanah Merah to Pasir Ris stations on 17 December 1989. During the opening ceremony, then Minister of State for the Ministry of Communications and Ministry of Trade and Industry Mah Bow Tan addressed to a crowd of more than 300 guests in Simei station, with them proceeding to ride a train to Pasir Ris station.^[10]

In June 1990, it was announced that Simei station would have three new footpaths leading to the station.^[11] This came after a letter was published on The Straits Times revealing that residents of Harvey Avenue, Jalan Angin Laut and Sunbird Road had to walk on a grass verge (which became muddy when it rained as well as posing a risk for the elderly and young children during the night) to get to the station.^[12] The footpaths connected the end of Sea Breeze Road to Simei Street 3 near Block 101, Jalan Angin Laut to Simei Street 3, and Sunbird Avenue to Simei Street 4 near Block 222.^[11] Moreover, the station was criticised for its design in another letter sent to The Straits Times in 1992, claiming that commuter without umbrellas could only walk "along a half-metre wide platform next to plant bins" to the adjacent building compound^[13] (Block 248). SMRT responded by revealing that there were plans to build a sheltered walkway between the station and Block 248 but it was put on hold as the land used was to be developed by the Housing and Development Board (HDB).^[14]

On 23 February 1995, about 7:50 pm,^[a] a train approaching the station opened its doors early when half of it was in the station. This resulted in people almost falling over as they thought the train had fully stopped. According to The New Paper, the railing of the viaduct was lower than the door level as well as its length between the door was less than 30 centimetres (0.98 ft), which was "less than the length of a stride".^[15] SMRT responded by explaining that the driver of the train violated standard procedures as the doors of the train are normally supposed to be on 'automatic mode' (such that all of the doors open when the train fully enters a station). However, the driver accidentally activated 'manual mode', which allows the driver to open all of the doors as long as the train is not moving, which is meant to be used with prior permission.^[16]

In 2008, the LTA announced an accessibility enhancement programme for ten stations,^[b] including Simei. The programme included adding ramps, covered linkways, and taxi stands with wheelchair access. It was completed by July 2011 at a cost of S$116 million (2011) (US$92.23 million).^[17] Simei station was the first batch of ten stations announced in 2010 to have additional bicycle parking facilities^[c] as a response to the growing demand of bicycle parking spots.^[18] The installation was completed in October 2012.^[19] As with most of the elevated stations along the East–West line, the station was initially built without platform screen doors. Following a rise in track intrusions as well as commuters slipping when rushing for the train, the LTA and SMRT decided to install platform screen doors.^[20] After several successful tests at Jurong East, Yishun and Pasir Ris stations, half-height platform screen doors were eventually installed and commenced operations at Simei station by August 2011.^[21] The station was installed with high-volume low-speed fans by the first quarter of 2013.^[22] Noise barriers were installed on the viaducts from Simei Street 3 to Harvey Crescent by Precise Development Pte Ltd^[23] as part of $17 million contract awarded in December 2013 to reduce sounds generated by trains.^[24] It was installed by 2018.^[25]

As a part of track works for the East Coast Integrated Depot (ECID), it was announced that Simei station would not be in operation between 7-10 December 2024 as it is part of a safety buffer zone between Tampines and Tanah Merah stations where power has to be turned off in order for the third rail to be safely removed.^[26]

Simei station is on the EWL with the station code of EW3, situated between Tampines and Tanah Merah station.^[27] Being part of the EWL, the station is operated by SMRT Trains.^[28] Simei station and the estate it serves is a Pinyin romanization of four beauties in Chinese, which in turn was named after the Four Beauties of ancient China.^[29]

The station is bounded by Simei Streets 1 and 3 as well as between Simei Streets 5 and 6.^[30] Primarily serving the Simei residential estate, the station also serves other surrounding amenities such as Eastpoint mall, Changkat Primary and Secondary School, Changi Simei Community Club, and Changi Neighbourhood police centre.^[31]

Like other stations on the Tanah Merah-Pasir Ris stretch, it has a distinctive colour on the doors of restricted areas and ceiling trunking box on the platform to aid in identification, using nutmeg brown. The station also has a "rib cage" roof design similar to other stations on the EWL.^[9]

• Official website
• Media related to Simei MRT Station at Wikimedia Commons