Bukit Panjang LRT service resumes after power fault caused full-line disruption for three hours
Train service on Singapore’s Bukit Panjang LRT resumed on 3 July 2025, three hours after a power fault disrupted all 13 stations. SMRT restored traction power by late morning and provided free buses during the outage. It was the second disruption that week, following a signalling fault on 1 July at Orchard station.
SINGAPORE – Train service on the Bukit Panjang LRT (BPLRT) resumed at approximately 11.40am on 3 July 2025, following a power fault that halted operations across all 13 stations for nearly three hours.
According to transport operator SMRT, the disruption began around 8.50am. Affected commuters were informed via Facebook at 9.13am, and the operator assured passengers that free regular and bridging buses were available at all stations.
In a subsequent update around 9.18am, SMRT stated that its staff were deployed to assist commuters and to work on restoring service.
“Train services are currently unavailable across the entire BPLRT system. In-train and station announcements have been made to keep commuters informed,” the operator said.
By 11.37am, SMRT confirmed that traction power had been restored and that train services were progressively resuming.
Shortly after, full service was reinstated and the temporary bus arrangements were discontinued.
This incident marked the second rail disruption in the week.
On 1 July, a signalling fault at Orchard station on the Thomson-East Coast Line caused service delays between Napier and Great World stations for two hours.
The Bukit Panjang LRT, which spans 8km, has a history of operational issues.
The most recent major disruption occurred on 22 October 2024, when service stalled during the evening peak between Bukit Panjang and Choa Chu Kang.
Trains did not resume until the next morning.
Initial investigations at the time pointed to a fault in one of the train’s wheel assemblies.
In response, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and SMRT announced reduced operating hours from Thursdays to Sundays, starting 14 November 2024 through to 31 October 2025, to accommodate renewal works.
These efforts include upgrading the BPLRT’s signalling system and testing both new and retrofitted light-rail vehicles.
Since 2022, LTA has been progressively implementing a new communications-based train control system to enhance train speed regulation.
The full system renewal is now slated for completion by end-2026, delayed by two years due to manpower shortages and supply chain issues stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2024, the LRT network, which includes the Sengkang-Punggol lines, recorded an average daily ridership of 210,000, reflecting a 4 per cent year-on-year increase.
