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SMRT vice-president for rail operations Lui Wai Meng ushering commuters onto shuttle buses. -- ST PHOTO: STACEY CHIA
Even top brass, such as vice-president for rail operations Lui Wai Meng, were seen ushering commuters onto waiting shuttle buses. The company's CEO, Ms Saw Phaik Hwa, was also making the rounds at stations, checking on the situation.
SMRT activated 300 staff to help commuters at the stations. At least 10 employees were spotted at Orchard station, and staff members inside and outside various stations were holding maps of the train lines to show people where to go.
It had come under fire and later apologised for its poor communication with commuters during Thursday's five-hour train shutdown on the North-South line.
But when part of the same line went down again on Saturday morning, train operator SMRT pulled out all the stops.
Announcements - made only in English on Thursday - were given in both English and Mandarin at all stations and trains. Directional signs, a problem two days earlier, were also displayed, and directions to free shuttle buses were announced over the PA system.
Even top brass, such as vice-president for rail operations Lui Wai Meng, were seen ushering commuters onto waiting shuttle buses. The company's CEO, Ms Saw Phaik Hwa, was also making the rounds at stations, checking on the situation.
SMRT activated 300 staff to help commuters at the stations. At least 10 employees were spotted at Orchard station, and staff members inside and outside various stations were holding maps of the train lines to show people where to go.
The train operator also deployed 80 buses - both SMRT buses and private coaches - to all stations between Ang Mo Kio and Raffles Place as a bridging service, and Marina Bay and City Hall to provide alternative transport to passengers.
The first bus arrived at 7.30am at Newton MRT station and 7.35am at Raffles Place station. The disruptions had started at about 6.50am.
And while it received flak earlier for not spreading news of the train disruption via social media, it promptly launched a new twitter feed - @smrt_singapore - to give updates on Saturday.
On the last weekend before Christmas, commuters who could not get to the city to do their last-minute shopping were annoyed, but acknowledged that the train operator had done better this time.
Ms Ida Johansson, who was waiting for a free shuttle bus to Orchard Road at Toa Payoh station said: 'It's much better than I thought. Breakdowns happen, so what can you do?'
Said 21-year-old NSF Lee Lie Zhen, who wanted to go from Bishan to City Hall: 'It's very bad timing for SMRT that it happened today. But I think the way they handled the situation today was okay. There were enough announcements and I knew what was going on.'
Still, there were those who were fuming because their plans were thwarted.
Ms Titiana Annzavier, 26, who works in sales, was heading to Orchard Road when she was forced to get off at Toa Payoh.
'I'm very angry. Everything SMRT has said so far has been a standard reply and apologies are just words. They should fix the problem once and for all. My shopping mood is a little bit spoiled.'
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