A busy section of Singapore’s metro system broke down for almost 11 hours tosday, triggering outrage among commuters already hit by a series of disruptions.

A total of 90,000 commuters were affected by the breakdown which was caused by a power supply problem and electricity insulation fault, metro operator SBS Transit said as it promised a thorough investigation.

Service was resumed at 4.35pm on the North East Line’s busy section that services the city-state’s shopping and business district, the operator said, just before the evening rush hour kicked in.

“Trains are breaking down too many times,” said commuter Theventhran Chandran.

“The government must do something about it, or else it is very troublesome for people who take the train.”

The latest rail disruption came three months after Singapore experienced its worst metro breakdown in 24 years when a power fault hit the busy North-South line during the evening rush hour, affecting 127,000 commuters.

- AFP