Passengers were not able to board the LRT at Punggol MRT station around 9.40am on Aug 15. - ST
SINGAPORE: Train services on the Sengkang-Punggol LRT line have halted due to a power fault on Friday (Aug 15) morning.
Free regular bus services are available from Sengkang Bus Interchange and bus stops near designated stations, said SBS Transit.
Free bridging bus services have also been activated, said the transport operator in a Facebook post at 8.55am.
Commuters were advised to follow directional signs to get to the boarding point for these bus services and approach staff members if they needed help.
Edwin Tan, 34, was travelling from his home near Meridian LRT station in Punggol to Dhoby Ghaut MRT station at 8.45am, when he was told there was no LRT service.
“I saw people coming down from the platform at Meridian LRT station, and a fellow commuter told me it is not working,” said the human resources assistant.
He had to hop on a regular bus service to Punggol MRT station to continue his journey to Dhoby Ghaut. Other affected passengers squeezed onto the buses, as they were rushing to work, he said.
“I am frustrated and disillusioned. But this was not as bad as the first time around, as the MRT is working fine,” added Tan.
Netizens who left comments on Facebook were largely disappointed at the disruption. Facebook user Debbie Michelle Aurelia, for instance, said that after the train had stalled, the announcement to alight was made only after more than five minutes.
Others touched on how it was the second time in three days that service on the Sengkang-Punggol LRT line has been disrupted by a power fault.
On Aug 12, operations on the line stopped for about one hour in the afternoon.
The breakdown was later found to have been caused by a flashover - an unintended electrical discharge - in one of the voltage transformers used to regulate the power supply, which led to a power trip.
This story is developing. - The Straits Times/ANN
