SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has imposed a hefty S$3 million fine on public transport operator SMRT following a significant disruption in train services on the East-West Line (EWL) last September. The incident, attributed to maintenance lapses and a malfunctioning warning system, left countless commuters affected for six days.
Six-Day Disruption
On 25 September 2023, a defective axle box dislodged from a KHI train, resulting in the train’s bogie falling off the tracks between Dover and Clementi MRT stations. This led to extensive damage along a critical section of the EWL, affecting around 500,000 of 2.8 million daily journeys and halting operations until 1 October 2023.
Cause of the Incident
- The incident train had logged an alarming 690,000 km since its last overhaul in 2018, significantly exceeding the recommended interval of 500,000 km.
- Previous extensions of this interval were granted, citing the reliability of the fleet and shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Investigations indicated that degraded grease in the axle box led to overheating, which ultimately caused the axle box failure.
Warning System Failure
Compounding the issue, SMRT’s Hot Axle Box Detection System indicated a dangerously high temperature of 118 degrees Celsius prior to the incident. However, a system error rendered the train ID undetectable, resulting in the false assumption that the warning was a mistake.
Financial and Social Implications
The fine reflects both the severity of the disruption and SMRT’s financial commitment to addressing the issue, which exceeded S$10 million in recovery costs—thanks to free shuttle bus services and waived travel fees for passengers at affected stations.
Critically, the funds from the fine will contribute to the Public Transport Fund, aimed at assisting lower-income families with their transport costs.
Future Measures
Moving forward, SMRT and the LTA are taking steps to enhance rail safety and operational protocols:
- All KHI trains over the 500,000 km mark have been withdrawn for immediate overhauls, with a comprehensive maintenance review now underway.
- A new accelerated delivery programme for the replacement Movia trains seeks to mitigate delays and ensure timely upgrades.
- SMRT is collaborating with international metro operators to improve safety and reliability practices across the rail network.
The LTA also emphasised tighter oversight of maintenance schedules and will conduct audits to assess the effectiveness of operators’ asset management strategies.
Looking Ahead
As SMRT vows to build on its 38 years of service, the lessons learned from this incident aim to bolster the reliability of Singapore’s public transport for the years to come. President of SMRT Trains, Lam Shaeu Kai, acknowledged the challenges highlighted by the incident and the need for a collaborative reassessment of safety protocols.