Red Dot United queries Transport Minister on contingency planning after MRT service disruption

In light of the recent MRT service disruption along the North-South Line caused by a lightning strike, Ravi Philemon, Secretary-General of Red Dot United, has raised concerns regarding the preparedness and response of public transport operators.

The disruption, which occurred on Monday (3 June), lasted two hours and significantly impacted commuters during peak evening hours.

Mr Philemon, in a Facebook post on Tuesday (4 June), highlighted several deficiencies in the current contingency measures and said he had written to Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat to convey his concerns.

“I acknowledge that lightning strikes are acts of nature beyond our control,” Mr Philemon stated, “but my concern lies with the contingency measures taken in response to such unexpected disruptions.”

He pointed out the apparent lack of staff managing the crowds during the incident, which led to chaotic situations, particularly during the evening peak hours. Additionally, Mr Philemon noted that from the videos circulating online, it did not appear that more buses were deployed in a timely manner to cater to the huge crowds, leading to further frustration among commuters.

The incident began around 5:50 pm, halting train services between Yew Tee and Woodlands stations. SMRT Corporation responded by closing the affected segments of the line and deploying free bridging and regular bus services to assist stranded commuters. They also recommended using the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) as an alternate route.

SMRT has apologized for the inconvenience and continued to update the public through announcements and social media, with service to the train service resuming around 8 pm on Monday.

Despite these measures, videos circulated on private messaging platforms showed large crowds struggling to board the bridging buses after service was said to have progressively resumed.

Mr Philemon’s query emphasizes the need for better crowd management and smoother operations during such disruptions. “The public transport operators seemed ill-prepared for this contingency,” he added, pressing for a clarification on what measures are being implemented to ensure better preparedness in the future.

His concerns highlight the necessity for enhanced strategies to mitigate the inconvenience caused by such disruptions, ensuring that commuters do not have to endure chaos and can rely on efficient, timely transport alternatives.

When queried by Gutzy, Mr Philemon shared that he has not received any response from Mr Chee thus far. The Minister also does not appear to have made any comments on social media about the disruption.