ICA clarifies Woodlands Checkpoint traffic jam was not caused by power outage, blames planned maintenance and lorry breakdowns

Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has rejected claims in a Malaysian media report that a major power outage at Woodlands Checkpoint caused severe traffic congestion along the Causeway on Nov. 4.

The clarification came after Malaysian newspaper The Star reported that traffic congestion had spread across the Causeway and several roads in Johor Bahru following an alleged power failure at the Singapore checkpoint.

However, ICA said there was no power outage at Woodlands Checkpoint that day.

Instead, the authority explained that planned electrical maintenance works, followed by two separate lorry breakdowns on the Malaysian side of the Causeway, contributed to the prolonged traffic delays.

Planned electrical maintenance at Old Woodlands Checkpoint

According to ICA, scheduled electrical maintenance was carried out at the Old Woodlands Checkpoint between 10am and 2pm on Wednesday.

During this period, the facility was temporarily unavailable for the clearance of arriving lorries.

However, ICA clarified that lorry clearance operations continued at Woodlands Checkpoint, although the temporary disruption at the older facility resulted in a build-up of Singapore-bound cargo traffic.

Operations at Old Woodlands Checkpoint resumed at around 4pm, allowing lorry clearance activities to return to normal.

The authority stressed that the situation was related to planned maintenance rather than an unexpected power failure.

Two lorry breakdowns caused further traffic disruption

The situation was further complicated by two lorry breakdowns on the Malaysian side of the Causeway later that evening.

ICA said the first breakdown occurred at approximately 4.30pm, followed by another at around 6.30pm.

Both incidents affected traffic flow by blocking one of the three available arrival lanes leading towards Woodlands Checkpoint.

As a result, vehicle queues extended from the breakdown locations back into Malaysia.

The congestion was made worse by the higher volume of vehicles travelling during the evening peak period, when many workers were returning home after finishing their shifts in Singapore.

The first lorry was only removed at approximately 9.50pm, while the second was cleared at around 12.22am on Thursday.

Until the vehicles were removed, motorists faced additional delays when travelling towards Singapore.

ICA issued traffic advisories to travellers

ICA said it had posted updates on its official Facebook page to inform travellers about the two vehicle breakdowns and the expected delays.

The authority also provided updates when the affected lane was eventually reopened.

On the Malaysian side, reports indicated that all immigration counters at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex remained operational.

Malaysian authorities reportedly opened additional lanes to help ease the congestion.

Additional police personnel were also deployed around BSI and nearby roads to manage the heavy traffic, particularly during the evening rush involving workers travelling home from Singapore.

Travellers urged to check traffic conditions before crossing

The incident highlights how traffic conditions along the Singapore-Malaysia land crossings can be affected by several factors, including maintenance works, vehicle breakdowns and peak-hour traffic volumes.

For Singaporeans and Malaysians who regularly commute across the Causeway, unexpected disruptions can significantly affect travelling times, particularly during weekday evenings and weekends.

Although ICA has clarified that no power outage occurred at Woodlands Checkpoint, the combination of maintenance works and two lorry breakdowns resulted in substantial congestion extending into Malaysia.

Motorists planning to cross the Causeway are advised to monitor official traffic updates before setting off, especially during periods of heavy traffic.