27-9-2024 (SINGAPORE) In a significant blow to Singapore’s public transport system, the East-West Line’s train services between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations are set to remain disrupted for several more days. Rail operator SMRT has announced its aim to fully restore services by 30 September, following a major incident that has left hundreds of thousands of commuters affected.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and SMRT had initially planned to partially restore services on 27 September with a shuttle train service operating every 20 minutes along the affected four-station stretch. However, this plan was abandoned late on 26 September after careful consideration.
In a joint statement, LTA and SMRT explained: “We have since determined that it can be done, but it would mean slowing down the repairs on the parallel damaged rail, as repairs cannot be done when the shuttle train service is in operation.” They concluded that prioritising repairs to expedite full service restoration was the better course of action, as running the shuttle train could potentially delay full restoration by several days.
The disruption, which began on 25 September, was triggered by a faulty first-generation Kawasaki Heavy Industries train. The incident occurred when a defective component of the train’s wheel set, known as an axle box, detached and fell onto the tracks near Dover station while the train was being returned to Ulu Pandan Depot. This led to extensive damage to tracks and trackside equipment near Clementi and Dover stations.
The severity of the damage has been unprecedented, with engineers discovering 34 rail breaks along a 1.6km stretch of tracks between Clementi and Dover stations. Additionally, three point machines, stretches of the third rail on the eastbound track, power cables, and rail fasteners were damaged.
Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat addressed the situation, stating: “As the damage is very extensive, they have to do this carefully, and it requires a lot of time.” He extended his sincere apologies to affected commuters and thanked the more than 300 engineers and technicians working tirelessly to repair the damage.
To mitigate the disruption’s impact, SMRT has implemented shuttle train services between Buona Vista and Queenstown stations, and between Jurong East and Boon Lay stations. Approximately 80 double-decker buses have been deployed to provide free bridging services for affected passengers between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations.
This incident marks Singapore’s second-longest rail disruption, affecting an estimated 874,000 passengers over two days.
