(Bloomberg) -- A rare breakdown on one of Singapore’s mass rapid transit lines is set to extend into the weekend, making it the longest unplanned train disruption in the city-state known for its efficiency.
Operator SMRT aims to restore full service on Sept. 30, the Land Transport Authority said in a Facebook post on Thursday evening. The disruption, which has affected four stations since Sept. 25, coincided with national examinations for 12-year-olds.
Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat apologized to commuters for the disruption. “This is a challenging task,” he said via Facebook Thursday night following his visit to a train depot.
Engineers and technicians have been working over the last 40 hours to conduct repairs and check the damaged tracks, Chee added.
A faulty bogie damaged a section of the tracks on the East-West line. Free shuttle services were provided on the affected route to ease the pain for commuters.
For a large chunk of Singapore’s six million people, local trains are the fastest and affordable way to get to work and school. The government discourages car ownership and the country remains one of the most expensive places to own a vehicle.
The city’s rail network faced a series of disruptions in 2017 after multiple faults caused breakdowns and delays. The incidents prompted a review and ultimately led to disciplinary action against employees and management executives responsible for the maintenance and supervisory lapses.
--With assistance from Low De Wei.
(Updates with restoration timeline in lede.)
©2024 Bloomberg L.P.
