SINGAPORE — Some students sitting for N-level exams were among those affected when train services on the Downtown Line between King Albert Park and Sixth Avenue stations were disrupted for about two hours on Tuesday (Oct 5) morning, after a platform screen door was dislodged at Sixth Avenue station.

Fewer than 10 candidates sitting for the N-level examinations had reported late at the start of the papers, while none of the PSLE candidates sitting for the Science papers were affected, said the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB). 

SBS Transit (SBST), which operates the line, the Republic’s newest MRT line, said the disruption took place at about 6.25am, due to a faulty platform screen door. 

This meant that trains could not pass through the station towards Chinatown, said the operator in a statement. “As such, our engineers quickly worked to dismantle the door,” it said.

While this was being done, train services between Bukit Panjang and King Albert Park, as well as between Sixth Avenue and Chinatown, continued to operate. Once the dislodged platform screen door was removed, the area was cordoned off and service was able to resume at 8.25am. 

In the meantime, free bus rides and bridging bus services at designated bus stops between Beauty World and Botanic Gardens stations were made available to commuters, said SBST.

The affected screen door did not operate for the rest of the day, and SBST said it would repair the door after passenger service hours. 

“We are investigating the cause of the platform screen door fault with the LTA (Land Transport Authority) and the contractor,” it added.

The Ministry of Education took to social media to ask students and those taking their exams on Tuesday to head to the nearest exam centres, if they thought they would not be able to make it in time for their exams at their own schools. 

“Candidates affected by train disruption at Downtown Line Stations between King Albert Park and Sixth Avenue (both bounds) should reach their exam centre before the end of the paper to sit for the exams,” the ministry said in a post on its Facebook page. “Otherwise, please go to the nearest centre. Full duration would be given.”

In its statement, the SEAB also assured candidates that they would not be penalised for being late if they have difficulties getting to their examination centres due to a major train service disruption.  

Ray Yang, 15, a student at Hwa Chong Institution who had his school exams on Tuesday, said that he boarded the train at Bukit Panjang at around 6.40am but decided to take the bus after the train had not moved for 10 to 15 minutes. 

Fellow student Jonathan Lee, 14, was going to take the train at Hillview when he heard that there was a delay in services. He decided to take the bus to school instead, although he added that buses were very crowded. 

While both reached the school later than usual, they were not late for their exams.