Punggol LRT Grinds to a Halt: Systems Fault Causes Major Disruption for Commuters

Commuters relying on the Punggol LRT line faced an evening of significant disruption on Friday, with services on both the East and West Loops grinding to a halt due to a systems fault. The unexpected outage, which began around 5:25 PM, left thousands of passengers stranded and scrambling for alternative transport.

SBS Transit, the operator of the Light Rail Transit system, confirmed that a technical malfunction was responsible for the complete cessation of service across all Punggol LRT stations.

The immediate consequence was a sudden stop to train operations, prompting frustrated commuters to exit stations and seek other ways to reach their destinations.

In response to the widespread disruption, SBS Transit quickly deployed a fleet of bridging buses to ferry affected passengers between stations.

Additional staff were also mobilized on the ground to assist commuters, provide directions, and manage the flow of people seeking alternative transport options. Announcements were made at stations and via social media platforms, advising passengers to seek other modes of transport and apologizing for the inconvenience.

The technical teams worked tirelessly to rectify the systems fault.

Progress was first observed on the West Loop, where service was progressively restored in stages. Later in the evening, efforts bore fruit for the East Loop as well, allowing for a gradual return to normal operations across the entire Punggol LRT network.

While the exact time of full restoration varied, SBS Transit continued to provide updates, confirming that by later in the evening, all services on both Punggol LRT loops had been fully reinstated.

The incident highlighted the challenges faced by urban transport systems and the critical need for swift, effective responses to ensure minimal impact on daily commuters.