SINGAPORE: Construction works on 4 MRT stations on the Jurong Region Line (JRL) will begin in the second quarter of this yr, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Tuesday.
Two of the stations, tentatively named Jurong Hill and Jurong Pier, are within the Jurong Town Corporation (JTC) industrial area. The other two stations are Nanyang Gateway and Nanyang Crescent, both located within the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) area.
The 4 stations are expected to be completed by 2029.
Two civil contracts were awarded for the construction of the stations and viaducts at a combined value of S$526 million, LTA stated.
The first contract, for the design and construction of Jurong Hill and Jurong Pier stations, was awarded to a joint venture between China Civil Engineering Construction and local company SCB.
The S$263 million contract also includes the construction of a 1.1km viaduct between the 2 stations along Jurong Pier Road.
The second contract, also valued at S$263 million, was awarded to Hwa Seng Builder. The contract includes the design and construction of Nanyang Gateway and Nanyang Crescent stations and a 1.4km viaduct between the stations.
The JRL is Singapore’s seventh MRT line. It will serve 5 key areas in the west – Choa Chu Kang, Jurong East, Boon Lay/Jurong West, Jurong Industrial Estate, and NTU.
The JRL will have 24 stations above the floor and will connect with the North-South Line and East-West Line with interchange stations at Boon Lay, Choa Chu Kang, and Jurong East MRT stations.
The 24km-long line was originally scheduled to start operations in 2026, however, this could be delayed due to “COVID-19-induced factors” such as a manpower crunch and materials supply disruptions, stated LTA on its website.
“The revised rail completion and opening timelines are being finalized and updates shall be issued in due course,” it stated.
The JRL will put 60,000 more households within a 10-minute walk from a train station. As key residential areas such as Tengah’s new city develop over time, more households will benefit from the JRL in the future, LTA said.
With the completion of the line, commuters will see time savings in the area. For instance, it’ll take 35 minutes to travel from Choa Chu Kang to NTU, instead of the one hour it currently takes, LTA stated.
