Singapore’s Transport Minister, Chee Hong Tat, issued a public apology following a significant disruption on the East-West Line (EWL) of the MRT system that lasted over 24 hours. The disruption began on the morning of September 25 when a faulty train developed issues near Clementi station, leading to a power trip that caused a second train to stall, affecting numerous commuters.
The incident was particularly severe, as it impacted service between Boon Lay and Queenstown stations, leaving about 358,000 commuters affected on Wednesday alone. By Thursday, it was estimated that around 516,000 commuters would experience continued disruptions.
Authorities have indicated that extensive damage was discovered on the tracks and related equipment, necessitating careful repairs and safety checks before services could be restored.
In an effort to manage the situation, shuttle services were arranged between various stations, and bridging bus services were made available to assist affected commuters.
Chee Hong Tat expressed his sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused and reassured the public that efforts were being made to restore normal services as swiftly and safely as possible.
