SINGAPORE: After a chaotic evening on 22 October 2024, the Bukit Panjang Light Rail Transit (LRT) line is back on track. Commuters can breathe a sigh of relief as services resumed early on 23 October thanks to swift action by Transport operator SMRT.
The drama unfolded when a train became “immobilised” near Teck Whye station at around 5.20pm. Passengers onboard were safely evacuated, but the misfortune didn’t end there. SMRT had to deploy a rescue train that also stalled on its journey back to the depot. Talk about bad luck!
Engineers Work Overnight
SMRT updated everyone at 5.07am the next morning, revealing that their engineers and technicians worked tirelessly throughout the night. They repaired a section of the power rail and transported the faulty train back for further checks. Regular services kicked off again at 5am, and the free bus services between Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Panjang stations came to a halt.
Passengers Share Their Experience
A local reader, Kannan, who was near Teck Whye LRT at the time, described the incident: “I heard a loud noise and thought it was a car accident at first, but then I realised it was an LRT train issue.” He watched as passengers were evacuated from the stalled train.
Clearing Up Confusion
SMRT clarified that the rescue train was in perfectly good condition and stalled due to a deflated tyre from the faulty train, not mechanical failure. This kind of miscommunication can really send a ripple of panic through commuters, can’t it?
Previous Disruptions
This was not SMRT’s first brush with disruption. Just last month, a faulty train on the East-West Line led to six days of service interruptions as extensive damage was rectified. The Land Transport Authority is still probing the details of that incident, with findings to be released soon.
So there you have it! Always good to see those trains rolling again. Here’s hoping for smooth rides ahead!