Tampines Town Council failed to notice gaps in sheltered walkways before works were completed

Tampines residents have complained that a pair of sheltered walkways have little use as pedestrians still get drenched when it rains, since both the recently-constructed linkways have gaps between the shelters and the destinations they lead to.

The first walkway that links a block of flats near 882 Tampines St 84 to a bus stop serves little purpose due to a 3-4 metre gap between this shelter and another sheltered linkway that has been there for some time, leaving pedestrians who need to move between the walkways drenched.

One resident, 52-year-old Mr Yang, told the Chinese daily that “people have to make a detour into the multi-storey carpark in order to get to the bus stop,” to avoid getting drenched.

Mr Yang added that the most disadvantaged residents are those relying on wheelchairs since it is inconvenient for them to cut through the carpark.

Pedestrians who use another linkway near Tampines Community Club face similar problems since there is a 2-3 metre gap in the roof of that linkway, as well.

In response to questions over the uselessness of the two shelters, Tampines Town Council revealed that the first sheltered linkway was built under the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme that is presently in progress and that the gap was only discovered after works were completed.

The town council promised to connect both the existing and new linkways. It is unclear whether the town council made payments for building the inconvenient linkway and whether it will make payments to rectify the situation.

Tampines Town Council is helmed by ruling party parliamentarians Heng Swee Keat, Masagos Zulkifli, Desmond Choo, Baey Yam Keng, and Cheng Li Hui.