THE reasons why people sneak onto the MRT tracks vary from the accidental to the bizarre.

In one incident last week at Clementi MRT station, a man in his late 40s was understood to have been under the influence of alcohol when he was caught tottering 200m away from the station on the tracks.

In some cases, passengers may have fainted, lost their balance, slipped or just fallen onto the tracks due to carelessness, an SMRT spokesman said.

But in another more eyebrow-raising incident nine years ago, a man was jailed three months – because he had decided to relieve himself and pee on the tracks.

Intentional reasons, such as mischief or committing suicide, make up over 70 per cent of cases where people stray onto the MRT tracks.

There have been 21 cases of people straying onto tracks so far this year; last year there were 31 cases and 30 cases the year before.

These cases have so far only happened at the stations where the tracks are at ground level or above-ground.

That is because full-length platform doors at underground stations have prevented anyone from trespassing onto the tracks at underground stations, like City Hall Interchange or Hougang station.

However, a person who leaps onto a track may face more danger from an oncoming train, rather than the electricity coursing through the rails.

An SMRT spokesman said a third rail, which runs along the main track, supplies electricity – and is insulated with a protective cover.

Under this cover is a metal bar that carries 750 volts of direct current to the trains.

Trains use a “current-collector device”, which is found under the carriages, and reaches down to touch the third rail, in order to access the current, and thus move the train.