Singapore's Bukit Panjang LRT to shut on two Sundays to facilitate tests; some upgrading work nearing completion
SINGAPORE: Train service on the Bukit Panjang LRT (BPLRT) line will be suspended for two days so that a new signalling system can be tested to make sure it is properly integrated with new and upgraded light rail vehicles.
In a statement on Wednesday (July 30), the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and BPLRT operator SMRT said the line would be closed on two Sundays – Aug 31 and Sept 21.
The closure will allow the testing of the new signalling system while 'simulating actual operating conditions', LTA and SMRT said.
This is to make sure that the various BPLRT systems can operate safely and reliably when they are rolled out for passenger service, they added.
A shuttle bus service, LRT Shuttle B, will operate on Aug 31 and Sept 21 in the direction of BPLRT Service B from Choa Chu Kang station to Bukit Panjang, via Petir, at a frequency of five to 15 minutes.
LTA and SMRT said renewal works on the BPLRT's signalling system and fleet are nearing completion.
Fourteen of 19 new third-generation light rail vehicles have been deployed for passenger service, and 11 of 13 second-generation vehicles have been upgraded and returned to service.
The remaining new third-generation vehicles and upgraded second-generation vehicles are expected to be deployed by the end of 2025. Work to upgrade the new communications-based train control signalling system, similar to that used on Singapore's MRT lines, will also be completed then.
Upgrades to BPLRT's Operations Control Centre and power rail replacement are also under way and due to be completed by the end of 2026, added LTA and SMRT.
In addition to the new signalling system, the BPLRT has a fully upgraded power supply system, LTA and SMRT said.
The power supply system has increased capacity, 'including dedicated power supply monitoring and control systems', added LTA and SMRT.
This comes on the heels of two recent service disruptions on the BPLRT network, which opened in 1999.
On July 19, train service stalled for almost two hours after a power fault crippled the entire line.
Less than a month earlier, on July 3, a power trip resulted in a three-hour-long service disruption.
All 13 BPLRT stations were affected during both service disruptions.
Both incidents were linked to the newly installed Power Scada system, said Mr Lam Sheau Kai, president of SMRT Trains, in a July 20 statement on SMRT's Facebook page.
The system plays a key role in monitoring and controlling power distribution across the LRT line.
The lifts at all BPLRT stations will be replaced by March 2027, LTA said, to make them easier to use for wheelchair users. The new lifts will come with rear wall mirrors, and lift buttons will be larger and illuminated for better visibility.
The lifts will also have energy-saving features, such as energy-efficient motors and drives, and LED lighting to reduce energy consumption. Lift upgrading works will begin from Aug 11.
There will be no lift access at affected platforms during lift upgrading works, LTA said.
To minimise the impact on commuters, lift replacement will be carried out at one platform of each station at a time.
There will also be a mechanised stair climber service at affected platforms, which can be used by users of standard and light mechanised wheelchairs, LTA said.
Commuters who wish to use this service are encouraged to pre-book it through a QR code or phone hotline provided on posters at all BPLRT stations. - The Straits Times/ANN
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