A crowded train platform at Jurong East MRT station at about 8am on Aug 6. - ST/ANN
SINGAPORE: More than three hours after the first reported MRT delays on Aug 6, commuters are still hampered in their morning journey with SMRT advising them to cater for longer train travel time on the East-West Line.
At around 9.25am the train operator said longer travel times were still expected eastwards towards Pasir Ris.
Commuters were first told to expect a 15-minute delay when travelling eastwards between the Boon Lay and Clementi stations due to a track point fault, according to SMRT social media posts at 6.03am.
Slower train travel time extended to Buona Vista station, SMRT said at 6.32am, meaning the affected stations also included Dover, Jurong East, Chinese Garden and Lakeside.
The delay was lengthened to 25 minutes, SMRT said at 7.17am, adding that free bus services are available between the affected stations.
Westbound trains are running normally, it added.
SMRT president Lam Sheau Kai said that a point machine fault occurred near Jurong East station during the start of service on the morning of Aug 6, leading to trains being driven slower for safe operations.
He explained that a point machine controls train movements at rail junctions when trains switch tracks, and that engineers are working to fix the issue.
Morning travellers reported on Facebook longer waiting times of up to 45 minutes at the stations, leading to them reporting to work late.
Some also reported having to wait longer at stations on the North-South Line, such as at Marsiling, Admiralty and Kranji.
Commuter Oon Siow Li questioned if passengers should still be allowed to enter the train platforms if there are delays during the morning rush hour.
“People board then notice there’s a train fault and (are) stuck inside the train,” she wrote in a comment on Facebook.
Multiple commuters, commenting on Facebook and X, said that the delays were longer than the suggested 25 minutes, with some asking for more realistic delay times to avoid offering “fake hope”.
Traveller Zhao Jieshi, commenting on SMRT’s social media updates, said it took around an hour to reach Clementi from Lakeside, a three-stop journey that would normally take around 10 minutes.
Some recalled the major breakdown in September 2024 between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations that saw services disrupted for six days.
In an updated post on Facebook at 6.15am, SMRT suggested alternative travel options via its website, including bus services.
As engineers work to restore train services, SMRT said travellers can download e-Travel chits at smrttravelchit.sg for evidence of their affected journeys. - The Straits Times/ANN
