SINGAPORE: Major Disruption on East-West Line

Commuters using the East-West Line should gear up for a challenging journey as the stretch between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations remains out of service for a third consecutive day. This disruption, which commenced on Wednesday morning, has left many travelers scrambling for alternatives.

Authorities Respond to Inconvenience

In response to the ongoing inconvenience, authorities are offering free regular and bridging bus services to assist affected passengers during this disruption period. However, train services are unlikely to resume soon.

Initial Plans for Shuttle Service

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and SMRT initially hoped to implement a shuttle train service to partially restore operations on Friday. Unfortunately, their assessment revealed that while the repairs on one track could proceed, launching a shuttle would delay the restoration of full services due to safety concerns and the current state of the infrastructure.

Official Statement on Repairs

“After careful consideration, we’ve decided it’s more efficient to prioritize repairs and restore complete service sooner than risk further delays with a 20-minute shuttle service,” said the officials in a recent update.

Cause of the Disruption

The source of this disruption stems from extensive damage discovered by engineers, primarily caused by a malfunctioning train returning to the Ulu Pandan depot. An axle box defect resulted in a bogie detaching from the running rail between Dover and Clementi stations, an unprecedented incident for SMRT.

Investigation Findings

Investigations revealed 34 rail breaks across 1.6 kilometers of track and damage to essential equipment used for routing trains. Additionally, the power supply infrastructure, including the third rail, was compromised, leading to a significant power trip around 9:25 a.m. on Wednesday, which caused another train near Clementi to stall.

Faulty Train Details

Interestingly, the faulty train, manufactured by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, has been in operation for an impressive 35 years. While this incident caused serious disruptions, the authorities reassured travelers that the other Kawasaki trains in service have passed necessary functionality checks.

Restoration Timeline

As the repair teams work diligently on restoring full service, SMRT aims to have everything back to normal by Monday. For now, commuters are urged to plan ahead and consider using alternative transport options. Stay tuned for updates as the situation develops!