leekuanyew

Numbers behind massive effort

Handling the unprecedented crowds that have formed since Wednesday to pay their last respects to Mr Lee Kuan Yew, who is lying in state at Parliament House, has been a massive task for organisers of the former Prime Minister's state funeral.

The decision to extend visiting hours at Parliament House from 10 hours to 24 hours meant that organisers, comprising government agencies and the Singapore Armed Forces, had to beef up their operations to deal with bigger crowds. These are the numbers behind the huge operation mounted over the past few days.

276,000 people turned up to pay their last respects, as at 7pm yesterday

107,150 condolence cards, gifts and flowers received from visitors

5,600 SAF personnel involved in the lying in state and tomorrow's state funeral procession, twice the number first estimated

300 tents

1,000 barricades to manage the queues. The operation was handled by the Singapore Army's 9th Division.

60 SAF personnel rostered for round-the-clock vigil guard duties, up from the initial 30

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