SINGAPORE, Sept 29 — Train services between Jurong East and Buona Vista MRT stations on the East-West Line in Singapore will remain suspended on September 30.
According to Singapore daily Straits Times, this follows the discovery of 12 new cracks in the rail.
The damage stemmed from a faulty first-generation Kawasaki Heavy Industries train that malfunctioned on September 25.
SMRT and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced today that efforts are underway to restore services by October 1, pending weather conditions and successful safety tests.
They said that stress tests conducted on September 28 revealed previously hidden cracks on unreplaced rail segments, necessitating the replacement of an additional 10 segments on the westbound track between Clementi and Ulu Pandan Depot.
Following the completion of these replacements, further stress tests will be conducted on September 30 to ensure the safety and integrity of the rail before resuming full passenger services, they added.
On a related note, Singapore Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat expressed gratitude for commuters’ patience, assuring that every effort is being made to expedite the return to normal service.
The disruptions, which began on September 25, have affected approximately 2.1 million passengers.
When the faulty train was being withdrawn, a defective axle box component dropped onto the tracks, causing significant damage along a 1.6-kilometre stretch between Clementi and Dover stations.
This incident led to a power trip that stalled other trains and disrupted services across nine stations.
Since the disruption, shuttle trains have been operating every 10 minutes between Boon Lay and Jurong East, and between Queenstown and Buona Vista.
Free bridging bus services are also available to assist affected commuters.