Last week, while I was travelling on the North-South Line towards Jurong East, I saw an unaccompanied old man in an electric wheelchair attempting to enter a train.

The above-ground station platform was not in alignment with the train, causing his wheelchair to get stuck in the gap.

He managed to get the wheelchair out and tried to enter a second time.

But the wheelchair got stuck again and the train doors were about to close on him.

Passengers in the train tried to help him, but encountered some difficulties. Fortunately, a young couple on the station platform pulled him to safety before the doors closed and the train sped off.

To prevent the recurrence of such incidents, some preventive measures need to be in place for passengers who are using wheelchairs, those who are blind or mothers with babies in strollers.

A special waiting lane can be demarcated for such passengers. An MRT officer or security guard on duty can be at this lane to assist them in embarking or disembarking from the train safely.

A signboard should be displayed prominently to inform other passengers to give way to them.

Rachel Tan Wee Cho (Ms)