East-West Line MRT disruptions: SMRT staff assists autistic child, commuter helps elderly woman

Train service disruptions along the East-West Line are now entering day four on Saturday (Sept 28).

As engineers and technicians from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and rail operator SMRT work around the clock on repairs to restore full train service by Monday, staff members and fellow passengers have been helping one another out.

In an interview with Lianhe Zaobao on Friday, a 42-year-old woman shared that her son, who has autism, usually travels between Bukit Batok and Bedok by himself to attend school.

However, the 15-year-old encountered the service disruption on Wednesday evening and continued waiting at the platform despite the lack of trains.

As those with autism have difficulties dealing with sudden changes, the housewife panicked as her son was unable to communicate with others to ask for help.

Thankfully, a staff member at the MRT station noticed the teenager and contacted his father through details on a tag on his backpack.

"My husband asked the staff to help watch my son before we got there, but it still took me an hour to get to Jurong East due to traffic jams," she said.

"My son calmly waited for me to pick him up. I breathed a sigh of relief when I finally saw him."

Expressing her gratitude to the staff member, the woman also raised concern about available avenues of help for children with special needs in such incidents.

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During Friday's evening peak period, a man who was travelling from Paya Lebar to Jurong East noticed an elderly woman looking lost at Queenstown.

"She looked confused. When I found out that she also wanted to travel to Jurong East, I suggested that we go to Buona Vista station together," the 27-year-old told the Chinese daily. "I directed her to the bus stop and then I took the regular bus.

"It was no trouble at all."

Free regular and bridging buses are available between Boon Lay and Queenstown stations.

Free taxi rides for PSLE students

As the train service disruptions coincide with the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE), which started on Thursday, some taxi drivers have risen to the occasion by providing free rides to students sitting for their papers.

Five Strides Premier taxis were situated at each train station between Jurong East and Buona Vista on Thursday and Friday.

Although five students were late to their exams on the first day, but were given the full duration of their papers as students will not be penalised for being late due to train disruptions.

drimac@asiaone.com