SINGAPORE - Some commuters taking the train from Jurong East MRT interchange on Friday (April 5) were greeted by an unusual sight - a gantry-like structure at the entrance to the station.

No, it was not a new form of Electronic Road Pricing.

The structure is actually a piece of mass security screening equipment known as a Human Security Radar, a fully-automatic walk-through system that can screen multiple people for suspicious items in real time without disrupting the flow of human traffic.

It was deployed for the first time as part of Exercise Station Guard, which took place at the interchange from 10am to 4pm.

During the exercise, commuters entering the interchange were directed through the Human Security Radar or through metal detectors and X-ray machines.

The equipment was in place as part of the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) ongoing efforts to leverage technology so as to enhance the efficiency of security checks at public transport nodes.

LTA said the systems which were deployed on Friday are certified to be safe for humans and are compliant with international safety standards.

Following the exercise, LTA will assess the feasibility of using such technologies before deciding whether to deploy them again in the future.

Since February last year, the LTA and public transport operators have conducted Exercise Station Guard to validate their security measures, contingency plans and operational readiness in response to potential security threats to public transport nodes.

The exercise is part of the national SGSecure movement to strengthen security in public places and build resilience in the community against security threats.

Similar exercises were previously conducted at the Downtown Line's Newton Station, Circle Line's Holland Village Station and North-East Line's Hougang Station.