
SMRT Hit with S$3 Million Fine After Major Train Disruption: What Went Wrong?
2025-06-03
Author: Wei
SINGAPORE IN CHAOS: SMRT Faces Hefty Penalty
In a shocking revelation, Singapore’s public transport operator, SMRT, is set to be slapped with a staggering S$3 million (US$2.33 million) fine following a catastrophic disruption along the East-West Line in September 2024. This incident, caused by critical operational and maintenance oversights, left commuters stranded for six excruciating days.
The Breakdown: How Did It Happen?
According to the Land Transport Authority (LTA), the troubles began when maintenance schedules were extended due to delays in the arrival of new trains caused by the pandemic. A malfunctioning warning system on the day of the incident further exacerbated the situation, contributing to a disastrous failure.
On September 25, a vital train component—the axle box—fell onto the tracks, resulting in a bogie detaching from the train between Dover and Clementi MRT stations. This catastrophic failure led to extensive damage across nine stations and disrupted roughly 500,000 train journeys daily.
Aging Fleet and COVID-19 Delays
The troubled train was part of SMRT's aging first-generation fleet of KHI trains, introduced back in the late 1980s. While SMRT planned to replace these with the new Movia trains by March 2024, COVID-19 delays pushed the timeline back significantly.
Only in May 2023 was the first Movia train delivered, and the KHI trains remained on the tracks while regular maintenance was performed. However, two extensions on their overhaul intervals, from 500,000 km to 750,000 km, were deemed excessive after the incident highlighted the flaws in their strategy.
A Recipe for Disaster: Risk Mismanagement
The critical failure could have been avoided, as the LTA indicated that had the train received a timely overhaul, the axle box condition would have been scrutinized, potentially preventing the incident altogether. Previous patterns demonstrated that stretching the overhaul intervals resulted in compromised safety.
System Failures: A Perfect Storm
By the time of the disaster, the train had accumulated 690,000 km since its last overhaul in 2018. An error in the warning system showcased a ‘Null ID,’ leading maintenance staff to dismiss warnings as false alarms. This alarming oversight allowed for the disaster to unfold unchecked.
Learning from Mistakes: What Comes Next?
In response to the fallout, SMRT has proactively withdrawn all KHI trains with excessive mileage from service for immediate overhaul and will accelerate the delivery of the new Movia trains, aiming for decommissioning by late 2025.
Additionally, both SMRT and LTA are reassessing their maintenance procedures to ensure that such a catastrophic oversight never happens again. With the establishment of a Rail Safety and Reliability Review Workgroup involving international metro operators, there’s hope for improved oversight in the future.
A Repeat Offender?
This isn’t SMRT's first run-in with fines; the operator previously faced penalties for incidents ranging from tunnel flooding to catastrophic accidents that led to tragic loss of life. It’s a stark reminder of the pressing need for stringent maintenance and operational excellence in Singapore’s rail system.