SINGAPORE – Commuters on Sunday were not inconvenienced by the full-day closure of the 13-station Bukit Panjang LRT line as alternative transport options like shuttle buses ran smoothly.

The closure paved the way for the line’s Operations Control Centre (OCC) to move to an interim centre, with the existing centre to undergo upgrading works that will last three years.

The OCC, in service since 1999, controls and monitors the signalling, power supply and communications systems, as well as the station facilities of the line.

On Sunday, a free shuttle bus service plied the LRT Service B route. Commuters could also tap existing bus services.

The shuttle bus service, with a start point near Choa Chu Kang bus interchange, operated smoothly when The Straits Times turned up at 9.30am. There was a wait time of about eight minutes between buses.

An average of 15 people boarded the bus each time. Mr Tan Kim Kiat, 37, who was heading to Bukit Panjang, said it was not much of a hassle since the wait was short.

“I expected there to be a crowd, but I think it’s better than what I thought because there are a lot of buses,” he added.

A bus marshal announced the stops for passengers who were unsure.

The situation was likewise smooth at the other start point near Bukit Panjang interchange.

Secondary 3 student Nur Fasihah Rahman was headed for tuition classes when she realised she could not take the LRT. The 15-year-old said: “I was up late studying, so I was groggy this morning and forgot that the LRT station would be closed.”

A staff member stationed in the area guided her to the boarding point for buses. “My tuition teacher is understanding, so I told her I will be five to 10 minutes late today as I have to take a different route,” she added.

Over at Segar, a resident, who wanted to be known only as Ms Lim, was among a handful of people waiting for the shuttle bus. The 34-year-old usually takes the LRT to Choa Chu Kang every Sunday morning to take food to her mother’s house.

“I understand that they need to do this for upgrading works, and it’s only for one day so it’s not too bad. I could overhear people complaining about the service disruption, but it’s mostly the elderly, who tend to be more sensitive to changes in their routine,” she said.

“I’m sure everyone would appreciate upgraded services in the future. One day of some inconvenience would be worth it, right?”