'Insane' crowds as signalling fault causes train delays for 2nd morning in row, this time on Circle Line
For the second morning in a row, MRT commuters were affected by train delays due to a signalling fault on Feb 11.
This time, it was on the Circle Line.
A signalling system fault occurred between Paya Lebar and Marymount stations at 8.11 am, affecting train operations across eight stations, said SMRT in a Facebook post.
"The fault caused trains to stop, and power to the affected sector was tripped. Power was restored within five minutes, and train movement resumed at 8.20 am," said the post.
"However, the Central Automatic Train System was sluggish, affecting the ability of controllers to manage train movements efficiently. As a result, it took approximately 30 minutes for the entire Circle Line to return to normal service."
SMRT said that due to this delay, it took about three trains to ease the congestion.
"During the morning peak, key interchange stations such as Serangoon, Buona Vista, Botanic Gardens, and Bishan typically require one to two trains to clear crowds," added the rail operator.
"In response, station staff were deployed to assist commuters, and public announcements were made at affected stations."
Videos and photos of the "insane" crowds at the affected stations were posted online.
Even though the fault occurred at 8.11am, SMRT did not post any social media advisory for commuters to add more travelling time like the company usually did for more than two hours.
It first acknowledged the situation on Facebook only at 10.20am.
SMRT said systems supplier Alstom has developed a software patch to address the issue, which is scheduled for installation on Feb 15.
"We apologise for any inconvenience caused to commuters," added SMRT.
A day earlier, a signalling fault was also the culprit for train delays on the North-East Line during morning rush hour.
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