Singapore’s public transport network faced major delays on the morning of 6 August 2025, after a fault near Jurong East crippled East-West Line (EWL) train services for over five hours. Services between Boon Lay and Buona Vista were severely disrupted, with SMRT resuming normal operations only at 11:05 am.
The fault was traced to a malfunctioning point machine — a critical piece of infrastructure responsible for switching train tracks safely. Train operator SMRT announced that engineers began rectification works after the morning peak, eventually restoring full service by late morning.
The disruption, which began at the start of service, prompted SMRT to issue alerts from 6:03 am onward. Initially confined to Boon Lay and Clementi, the affected zone widened by 7:17 am to include Buona Vista, as commuters braced for travel times stretched by over 30 minutes in some cases.
Commuters Report Chaos, Poor Communication During Breakdown
Despite SMRT advising a buffer of 25 minutes, numerous commuters took to social media to report delays lasting over 35 minutes. Crowds swelled at stations such as Lakeside and Pioneer, with videos showing congestion and stalled trains.
One commuter said his journey from Pioneer to Jurong East took more than twice the usual time, while others were confused about fare deductions after exiting the same station they entered. A viral open letter criticised the lack of on-ground assistance near Chinese Garden, calling the shuttle bus arrangements “completely unmanaged”.
SMRT responded with apologies and confirmed that trains had been slowed deliberately to 18kph for safety. Free shuttle buses and e-Travel Chits for MRT delay compensation were offered to ease the inconvenience.
Recurring Faults Raise Questions Over Rail System Reliability
This incident has renewed public concerns about the long-term reliability of Singapore’s rail infrastructure. It comes after a similar fault at Jurong East in July 2024 caused a three-hour delay, and a more severe failure later that year resulted in a six-day closure and a S$3 million fine.
Following those incidents, SMRT replaced 46 point machines and began trialling predictive sensor systems. Yet, the recurrence of similar faults raises doubts about the effectiveness of these upgrades and the robustness of maintenance efforts under the New Rail Financing Framework.
Public transport reliability is a growing concern for voters ahead of the upcoming General Election, and such high-profile service disruptions could have broader political implications. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is expected to conduct a full investigation once SMRT submits its report.