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Defective train mars Downtown Line open house, disrupts services

SINGAPORE — A defective train near Hillview MRT station on the Downtown Line caused delays – and unhappiness among some commuters – on a new stretch of the line that opened for free to the public on Sunday (Oct 15).

Commuters react during a train delay due to a track fault during the Downtown Line 3 Open House at Kaki Bukit Station. Photo: Jason Quah/TODAY

Commuters react during a train delay due to a track fault during the Downtown Line 3 Open House at Kaki Bukit Station. Photo: Jason Quah/TODAY

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SINGAPORE — A defective train near Hillview MRT station on the Downtown Line caused delays – and unhappiness among some commuters – on a new stretch of the line that opened for free to the public on Sunday (Oct 15).

The train fault also disrupted service between Bukit Panjang and Beauty World stations for about 40 minutes on Sunday afternoon.

The Hillview station is part of Downtown Line 2, the 12-station segment of the line which opened in Dec 2015.

An open house was held on Sunday for Downtown Line 3, the 16 stations that form the 21km third leg of the line, which will open on Oct 21.

In a tweet at 1.05pm, SBS Transit (SBST) – which operates the Downtown Line - said no train service was available between Bukit Panjang and Beauty World stations due to a train fault. Free bus rides are available at designated bus stops near affected stations, the train operator added.

The disruption was due to a train fault near Hillview Station, said Ms Tammy Tan, SBST’s senior vice-president of corporate communications. “Regular service resumed about 40 minutes later at about 1.20pm after the defective train was taken off the line,” she said. “We apologise to affected passengers for the inconvenience caused. Meanwhile we are investigating the cause of the fault.”

The Downtown Line opened with six stations from Chinatown to Bugis in December 2013. Another 12 stations between Bukit Panjang and Rochor opened in December 2015.

Downtown Line 3, which runs from Fort Canning to Expo, is the longest stretch of the line to be opened. It includes three interchange stations at MacPherson, Tampines, and Expo.

 

Passengers said they were frustrated by the delay.

Mr Samuel Francis, 49, a sales manager added: “It is very frustrating. There was a train breakdown last week and now this week... I don’t know why this is happening.”

“It doesn’t matter how well it is handled or how much information is passed down… It inconveniences people and it should not even be happening,” he said.

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