Work on the New Cross Island Line Stations Commences
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced that construction for the Serangoon North and Tavistock MRT stations on the Cross Island Line (CRL) is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2022. This follows the awarding of two contracts, totalling S$861 million, for the design and construction of the stations.
Serangoon North MRT Station
The contract for the Serangoon North station and tunnels was awarded to Hock Lian Seng Infrastructure for S$454 million. The station will be situated beneath the dual lanes of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 and the Yio Chu Kang Road vehicular bridge. Once operational, commuters will see significant reductions in travel time. For instance, the journey from Serangoon North to Loyang Industrial Area will be reduced from 75 minutes to approximately 25 minutes. Similarly, travel to Pasir Ris will be cut by 25 minutes, from 40 minutes to just 15 minutes. Hock Lian Seng Infrastructure is known for its previous work on the Kim Chuan Depot and Marina Bay station for the Circle Line.
Tavistock MRT Station
The design and construction contract for Tavistock station and tunnels was awarded to Sato Kogyo (S) for S$407 million. The company has previously constructed Bencoolen and Mattar stations along the Downtown Line and Upper Thomson station on the Thomson-East Coast Line. Tavistock station will be positioned along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, surrounded by both residential and commercial properties. Once operational, it will significantly shorten travel times for commuters. For example, the trip from Tavistock to Aviation Park will be reduced from 95 minutes to 30 minutes, and travel to Sin Ming will take only 10 minutes, down from 30 minutes.
Construction Details
To facilitate the construction of Serangoon North station, traffic diversions will be implemented at various stages due to the station’s wide design and the inclusion of an additional railway track for train parking. The underpass will be constructed using a mining method beneath the Yio Chu Kang Road vehicular bridge to avoid disrupting the traffic flow. Meanwhile, for Tavistock station, space constraints will require the construction of an intermediate launch shaft away from the site for the deployment of tunnel boring machines. The tunnelling works will proceed towards both Ang Mo Kio station and Serangoon North, passing through Tavistock station.
Due to the challenging ground conditions at Tavistock, which consist of old alluvium soil, the cutting equipment for the tunnel boring machines may experience some wear. LTA has assured that both the equipment and the overall works will be closely monitored for safety and efficiency.
Cross Island Line Phase 1
The first phase of the CRL is expected to begin passenger service by 2030. It will connect key areas across the eastern, north-eastern, and western parts of Singapore, linking important hubs like the Jurong Lake District, Punggol Digital District, and Changi region. This phase will cover 29km with 12 stations, benefiting over 100,000 households and enhancing connectivity to residential, industrial, and recreational areas. The CRL is designed to offer seamless transfers to other MRT lines, with nearly half of its stations being interchanges. LTA is continuing studies for subsequent phases of the line.
