9-hour NEL breakdown on Thu affected 18,000 commuters

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http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/9-hour-nel-breakdown-hits-18000?singlepage=true

Train services between Punggol and Sengkang MRT stations were disrupted for nine hours on Thursday, in what was the longest breakdown on the North-East Line (NEL) since the record 12-hour delay in March 2012.

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The disruption, which took place between 6am and 3pm, affected about 18,000 commuters.

Initially, train services between three stations — Punggol, Sengkang and Buangkok — were hit and scores of commuters fanned out of the stations to bus stops and taxi stands.

At about 8am, trains were turned around at Sengkang station, enabling service between Sengkang and HarbourFront stations.

NEL operator SBS Transit said the disruption was due to a power fault caused by a dislocation of the cantilever arms holding the contact wire of the power supply line at the tunnels near Punggol station.

As a result, power supply to the trains was cut off. This is the first time the arms have dislodged, added SBS Transit.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said it would carry out an investigation into the cause and the operator’s management of the incident, which was criticised by some commuters.

This in contrast to the praise SBS Transit received from commuters and Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew in the aftermath of the March 2012 disruption.

This is the fourth major disruption on the NEL this year. In April, train services towards Punggol station were delayed for almost an hour due to a power fault.

On March 29, a stalled train at Clarke Quay station disrupted services by 40 minutes. Eight days before that, a power fault delayed services for more than half an hour along nine stations.