Productivity Targets for Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) Contractors

Ms Foo Mee Har asked the Minister for National Development (a) how long does it take to upgrade one lift under the HDB Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP); and (b) if he would consider setting tighter productivity targets for LUP contractors to shorten the time needed for onsite construction work and minimise inconvenience to residents.

The Minister of State for National Development (Mr Lee Yi Shyan) (for the Minister for National Development): Sir, under the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP), it takes about six months to overhaul ”€ Ms Foo used the word "upgrade" ”€ an existing lift; and about 16 months to build a new lift shaft with a new lift in it.

For overhauling an old lift in an existing shaft, it is a relatively simple job. The replacement of lift cable, motor, lift car and control systems, etc, can be done rather quietly and speedily. Even including testing and commissioning, most of the overhauling can be completed within six months.

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For building of new lifts in their lift shafts, the work is more complicated. Firstly, HDB's appointed contractors would need to work with other agencies to detect and divert underground services such as telecoms, power supply, water and sewage pipelines as necessary. This phase alone could take up to four months. Secondly, the appointed contractors would commence the construction work proper starting with micro-piling, and then lift and lift shaft installation, lift testing and commissioning. This phase will take about a year.

When LUP is implemented in a precinct, HDB will ensure that the residents will continue to have access to their lifts. This is why HDB would construct the new lifts first before proceeding to overhaul the existing lifts. Taken together, for each block on the ground under LUP, the duration of the upgrading programme could take about two years.

To minimise inconveniences to the residents, HDB has taken active steps to shorten the time needed for onsite construction work. For example, HDB cut the time needed for construction by two months when it introduced the use of steel lift shafts in 2007. Steel lift shafts are pre-fabricated and can be assembled on site more quickly than concrete lift shafts. More recently, HDB achieved a further two-month reduction, from six months to four months, in the service diversion phase of LUP works, by streamlining the process involving multiple agencies.

HDB will continue to look at ways to expedite LUP works without compromising quality and safety, bearing in mind that the works are often carried out within a tight site area and in close proximity to residents. In some situations, HDB will also need to phase out the work, so that residents can continue to enjoy the same level of lift service while LUP works are ongoing, and to minimise noise and dust to residents.

Ms Foo Mee Har (West Coast): Mr Speaker, I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I would like to ask two supplementary questions relating to comments made by my residents undergoing LUP at Pandan Gardens. Many of the residents ask me how come it takes two years to upgrade a block when we can build condominiums in the same time. The crux of the issue is about how work is being phased. According to my own observations in the estate, the work being done in upgrading the lifts in the precinct – let us say the eight blocks involved – basically the work is done in batches. They start digging in one block, they finish and they go to the next block, and they go one round before they come back to the first block to do the next step. If it is done like that, it would take a long time, probably two years, end-to-end for the whole project. My question to the Minister of State is whether HDB can consider the work being compressed so that works can start on one block, complete the works there before proceeding to the next block, so that inconvenience to residents is minimised. I would also like to ask a question on pre-fabrication. The Minister of State talked about pre-fabrication being used for the lift steel shafts. What other opportunities are there for HDB to explore so that a lot more work can be completed offsite?

Mr Lee Yi Shyan: Mr Speaker, I thank Ms Foo for her questions and her observations. Indeed, I sympathise with some of these observations that Members have gathered from the local execution of the LUP projects. I, myself, have some LUP works ongoing in my constituency, and I get very similar feedback from residents. Compared to a condominium or new flats built on a greenfield site, the LUP work has to be constrained by existing tight site and hours of construction and to minimise inconveniences and noise pollution to the residents. The Member made the observation about whether we could − instead of treating the whole precinct as one site – carry out work block to block. HDB is studying this approach. The reason why it is currently done this way has to do with the contract that is given. Contractors would typically hire a team of specialists doing certain functions, and they would go from one block to another block sequentially. If not well managed locally, these sequential activities can add up in terms of total duration.

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In terms of pre-fabrication, HDB is making use of prefab technology as far as possible. I am hopeful that HDB will continue to make improvements by better onsite house-keeping and project management to make sure that activities are more tightly integrated on the ground, and where feasible to complete work in one block before moving to another block.

Mr Low Thia Khiang (Aljunied): Mr Speaker, Sir, two supplementary questions. First, what is the progress of LUP? How many more blocks are in balance, still awaiting LUP? Secondly, the question is whether HDB is on track to meet the Government's target to complete the LUP so that all eligible HDB blocks will have lift access on every floor.

Mr Lee Yi Shyan: Sir, the short answer is "yes". HDB is on track to complete the LUP programme for all the eligible blocks. In fact, 5,000 HDB blocks have been selected for LUP and polling has been completed for about 95% for these blocks. LUP has been completed for 65%. There is a time lag between polling and completion. The rest is being completed.

Dr Teo Ho Pin (Bukit Panjang): Sir, may I ask the Minister of State whether the Ministry can consider reducing the overall testing and commissioning period without compromising safety of the lifts. Normally, for LUP, the same batch of lifts is actually provided by one company. So, it is possible to stagger or do simultaneous testing and commissioning of the lifts to reduce the overall period.

Mr Lee Yi Shyan: Yes. We thank Dr Teo for his suggestion. We would ask HDB to look into it.

Mr Speaker: Mr Low, last question.

Mr Low Thia Khiang: When can we expect the LUP to be completed nation-wide? Any specific date, please?

Mr Lee Yi Shyan: We expect to complete the LUP by end of 2014.