More than $10m spent by SMRT for repair and alternative transport factored into $3m fine

Financial penalty is proportionate to the circumstances surrounding incident: LTA

- Lee Nian Tjoe

In the wake of one of the worst MRT disruptions in Singapore's history, SMRT spent more than $10 million on alternative travel arrangements and repairs. These costs were taken into consideration when the Land Transport Authority (LTA) meted out a $3 million fine to the rail operator.

The six-day disruption on the East-West MRT line between Sept 25 and 30 in 2024 affected about 2.6 million passengers.

Announcing the completion of investigations into the disruption, the LTA said on June 3 that the financial penalty was proportionate to the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The fine collected will go to the Public Transport Fund, which helps lower-income families defray public transport expenditures.

In its report on the investigation findings, the LTA found SMRT's management of the service disruption to be satisfactory, despite the initial confusion in the first hours after the incident. This included the prompt activation of free public buses and bridging shuttle buses.

It also recognised how SMRT was quick to limit the affected sector of the East-West Line – between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations – once it was safe to do so.