Upgrade? Queenstown resident questions how exposed electrical trunking is an improvement

It's called "improvement work".

But for one Queenstown resident, the results were not an improvement,

Stomper Lynn shared photos of the facilities at Skyville @ Dawson, showing what they looked like before and after the improvement work.

"The original design was clean and neat, but for some reason, the town council is destroying the clean and neat design, which HDB did, and upgraded our common areas with exposed cable trunks to replace some lighting," said the Stomper.

"I thought improvement work was meant to enhance our surroundings, but it appears that the town council has instead downgraded our precinct back to the 1980s with their so-called upgrading efforts."

The Stomper asked: "How does replacing a neat metal casing downlight with a cheap plastic downlight constitute an improvement?

"How does introducing exposed cable trunks along the common corridor improve or benefit the residents? Doesn't it pose a risk to young children who might tamper with the cable in the cable trunk?

"Why do we need a cable trunk when the original design did not? Unless it is for a quick fix, cut-corner kind of workmanship."

In response to a Stomp query, a spokesperson for the Tanjong Pagar Town Council said: "As part of our cyclical maintenance regime, we have recommended partial rewiring works to enhance the safety and efficiency of our electrical systems. This includes exposing electrical trunking in certain areas of the estate.

"This recommendation stems from past experiences where troubleshooting electrical tripping incidents proved challenging due to concealed wiring."

Exposing the electrical facilities allows for easier access during maintenance and repairs and eliminates the need to dismantle ceilings, said the town council. This approach enables our technicians to swiftly identify and address issues, thereby minimising downtime and reducing inconvenience to the residents.

The spokesperson added: "We understand the aesthetic concerns raised by the feedback provider. However, we would like to assure them that we are actively working with our contractor to strike a balance between safety considerations and aesthetic preferences.

"The current works are still in progress, and we are committed to ensuring that both safety concerns and aesthetics are appropriately addressed."

Update on April 1:

In response to the town council statement, the Stomper asked: "Is the town council suggesting that when HDB designed the estate, they never considered maintenance issues?

"I recall that Skyville is an award-winning design by WOHA Architect. Is it possible that both HDB and WOHA failed to recognize the need for maintenance in their design?

"If concealed cables are not suitable, then why do all developments these days come with concealed cables both in the common corridor and in the unit?

"The town council is not installing new lighting points in the common areas. Why are they adding exposed cable trays?

"Even if the town council is adding new power points, the cables can still be concealed. I believe many of us have done that in our homes.

"Cable replacement for concealed cables is nothing new now. If the concealed cables were faulty, did the town council call for a tender to replace concealed cables? Will the contractor come and provide exposed cable trays? There is a difference between doing what we are supposed to do and choosing an easier way out at the expense of others."

She added: "When we buy something, we expect it to be returned to us in its original design, at the very least, if not upgraded."