MRT service between Boon Lay and Queenstown stations disrupted for at least the rest of the day
Shuttle train services will ply some stations, but there will be no service between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations.
· CNA · JoinSINGAPORE: Train services will not be available on the East-West Line (EWL) between Boon Lay and Queenstown MRT stations, in both directions, for at least the rest of Wednesday (Sep 25).
This comes after an incident on Wednesday morning where an eastbound train developed a fault near Clementi station at about 9am.
"While the train was being withdrawn, a power trip was detected at 9.25am. This caused trains on the EWL between Queenstown and Boon Lay stations to stall," said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Wednesday afternoon.
"Our preliminary assessment is that when the damaged train was being withdrawn, it caused damage to the tracks, including the running rails and the third rail supplying power to the train."
SMRT chairman Seah Moon Ming and Group CEO Ngien Hoon Ping apologised to commuters for the "significant disruption".
In a post on SMRT's Facebook page, they said the incident happened during the withdrawal of an old train.
A defective train axle box on one of the first-generation trains dropped and caused the wheels of a bogie - an undercarriage - to come off the running rail and hit track equipment.
This included a live rail and point machines, leading to the power fault.
LTA said it has activated additional support from bus operators to improve bridging bus service ahead of the evening peak hours.
Commuters can also board the regular bus services calling at designated bus stops at the affected stations.
In an earlier statement about the incident, SMRT said that the affected vehicle was a Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) train, which has been in service for over 35 years.
It encountered a fault and emitted smoke while returning to Ulu Pandan Depot.
SHUTTLE TRAIN SERVICE
From 5pm, SMRT will run a separate shuttle train service between Buona Vista and Queenstown MRT stations, and also between Jurong East and Boon Lay stations, at intervals of 10 minutes.
In response to CNA queries, SMRT said the shuttle trains will stop at every station along those stretches.
There will be no train shuttle service between Jurong East and Buona Vista.
Free regular and bridging bus services continue to be available between Boon Lay and Queenstown stations, SMRT.
LTA "strongly advised" commuters to make alternative transport arrangements to continue their journeys.
SMRT provided suggestions on alternative routes.
"For instance, commuters travelling from Tuas are encouraged to alight at Jurong East station and take the North-South line towards the city. Commuters who are returning home from the city can also consider taking the Circle Line, Thomson-East Coast Line, or the Downtown Line," it said in a Facebook post.
The transport operator also said that the safety of its staff members was of "top most priority".
"In view of the wet weather conditions near Clementi station, we are taking every measure to ensure the safety of our engineers when going on-site to assess and rectify the fault."
Mr Seah and Mr Ngien added: "We fully understand the inconvenience, frustration, and delays this disruption has caused, and we deeply regret the impact it has had on your journey.
"We are working relentlessly to restore service quickly.
"Once again, we extend our sincerest apologies for the disruption and deeply appreciate your patience, understanding, and continued trust in SMRT."
LTA said that it has informed the Singapore Examination and Assessment Board (SEAB) to work out arrangements.
Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) written exams start on Thursday.
"More time may be required for repair works. During engineering hours tonight, SMRT and LTA will make further assessment whether passenger service can resume on Sep 26," said LTA.
Updates will be available on SMRT and LTA's social media platforms and on LTA's MyTransport app.
On Oct 7, 2017, a heavy downpour led to a flooded tunnel between Braddell and Bishan MRT stations, and train services on the North-South Line were shut down for over 20 hours.
That remains the longest train service disruption to date.
SMRT’s internal investigations later found that staff in charge of the Bishan pump system not only failed to carry out preventive maintenance on the purported maintenance dates but also falsified maintenance records.
The rail operator spent about S$2 million to repair and replace equipment and components in the wake of the flooding.
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