Bringing back the mobile services

As Singapore’s bid to fully vaccinate its population - especially seniors aged 60 and above - against COVID-19 go into overdrive, the authorities are taking a page from the kampung days.

For weeks, the Ministry of Health has been dispatching mobile vaccination teams to dozens of locations around the island, from Woodlands to Bukit Merah, Jurong West to Tampines. They set up shop in void decks and community clubs, bringing jabs to the masses.

Credit: The Straits Times.

There are also 11 home vaccination teams, visiting seniors who are unable to leave their homes.

Two #IGotMyShot trucks, armed with loudspeakers, ply the same areas as the mobile vaccination teams, broadcasting pre-recorded messages in the four official languages and other Chinese languages, calling on the unvaccinated to get their shots. An emcee in each truck provides information such as specific locations and operating hours of mobile vaccination teams.

Credit: Ong Ye Kung, Facebook.

This harks back to the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, when it was common for the authorities to send mobile teams into the rural areas to provide essential services to villagers.

Retrofitted trucks and vans braved the island’s rural roads to reach the most remote of villages. They provided cheap or free medical treatment and check-ups such as x-rays for tuberculosis, postal services, library services, replacement and issuing of identity cards, and so on. These absolved villagers of the need to travel long distances to the City.

A Health Department mobile dispensary, donated by the Rotary Club, in 1951.

Credit: Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.

Credit: Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.

The mobile dispensary serving students of Bukit Panjang Government School, which was deep in the rural regions at the time.

Credit: Bukit Panjang Government School Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.

A Government travelling dispensary in 1963.

Credit: Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.

Credit: Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.

Credit: Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.

Mobile x-ray units to combat tuberculosis, 1964.

A mass x-ray campaign at Joo Chiat Community Centre, 1966.

Credit: Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.

In 1967, Member of Parliament for Moulmein Avadai Dhanam Lakshimi (the wife of Singapore’s third President, Devan Nair) launched a mobile x-ray campaign in her constituency.

Credit: Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.

Mobile skin clinics to fight leprosy, 1965.

Mobile identity card services, 1957.

Mobile library services, 1967.

A mobile postal services van, 1963.

Credit: Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.

These vehicles were far cheaper than building a new hospital or post office, and their “touring” schedules could be adjusted according to needs on the ground.

From the 1970s, as villagers were resettled en-masse to self-contained New Towns, and as Singapore’s rural areas shrank, these mobile services were gradually phased out. But we are living in unprecedented times now. Old ways sometimes work in the present. 2021’s mobile vaccination teams have successfully reached thousands of people.

Cutting it close

I’ve always been fascinated by this nondescript building next to Aljunied MRT Station on the East West Line.

Ending just a couple of metres from the MRT station, the row of shophouses lining Lorong 25A Geylang is perhaps the closest building next to an aboveground MRT station in Singapore. At platform level, the third floor of the building looks close enough to jump from the tracks.

Before the East West Line was laid down in the 1980s, Lorong 25 and Lorong 25A Geylang were connected to each other. Below is a 1984 street directory map of the area, with the connection between the two roads in the red box.

The same area in 2021 is indicated by a red box below.

Credit: Singapore Land Authority.

The link between Lorong 25 and Lorong 25A has been expunged, together with the buildings that used to lie along the road. It is possible that Lorong 25A itself was spared, hence the closeness of its row of shophouses to Aljunied MRT Station today.

Newer MRT lines such as the North East, Circle, Downtown, and Thomson-East Coast lines are entirely underground. However, the upcoming Jurong Region Line, with 24 stations due to open from 2027, will be aboveground. Let’s see if there is a building closer to any of these stations.

Pedestrianised Woodlands Ring Road

In February, part of Woodlands Ring Road in the north of the island was pedestrianised for a six-month trial.

The stretch between Woodlands Drive 63 and Woodlands Drive 71 was converted into two parts - the westbound lane was completely closed to motor traffic, while the eastbound lane was reserved for buses and emergency vehicles only.

The partial pedestrianisation of Woodlands Ring Road comes after the Transport Ministry set out plans in August last year to re-imagine Singapore’s road infrastructure, by converting certain under-used road lanes into cycling and bus lanes, as well as pedestrianising certain roads.

Credit: The Straits Times.

It is part of Singapore’s ongoing push to go car-lite, and promote walking and cycling. Other car-lite projects include the pedestrianisation of Bencoolen Street in the city. In 2019, about 60m of Fusionopolis Way road in one-north business park was converted into a pedestrianised street on a trial basis.

The LTA said the trial in Woodlands will give residents and students from nearby schools, including Minds Woodlands Gardens School, Woodlands Ring Primary and Secondary Schools as well as Spectra Secondary School, more space to walk and cycle.

“This will also make access to Kampung Admiralty, Admiralty MRT station and other amenities more convenient for pedestrians,” it added.

The LTA said it will engage the community to seek feedback and suggestions on the project, and the temporary modifications to the road layout will only be made permanent if the public supports the move.

As the six-month trial was ending this month, I visited the pedestrianised stretch of road today.

The junction with Woodlands Drive 63.

It felt good walking freely on a road that’s normally reserved for motor vehicles!

This stretch was chosen for the trial because of relatively low vehicular traffic; turns out pedestrian traffic was low too. Not many joined me on the road; some even kept to the pavements.

It was a short stretch, only around 200 metres, and my leisurely stroll lasted less than 10 minutes.

Approaching the junction with Woodlands Drive 71.

The junction with Woodlands Drive 71.

Despite the short length of road, that’s still quite a fair bit of land freed up. If the pedestrianisation becomes permanent, there’s so much potential for community activities, such as bazaars, performances, exhibitions, and alfresco dining.

I hope more of such under-utilised stretches of road are pedestrianised, not just in Woodlands, but in towns all over Singapore.