Singapore picks route for new underground line

The CRL will be Singapore’s eighth MRT line and its longest fully underground line. When fully completed, it will serve existing and future developments in the eastern, western, and north-eastern corridors, linking hubs such as Jurong Lake District, Punggol Digital District and Changi region. The projected daily ridership of the entire CRL is more than 600,000 in the initial years, increasing to over one million in the longer term.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will construct the CRL in three phases. The 29m first phase (CRL1) will include 12 stations, from Aviation Park to Bright Hill to serve residential and industrial areas such as Loyang, Tampines, Pasir Ris, Defu, Hougang, Serangoon North and Ang Mo Kio. The LTA said that more than 100,000 households will benefit from CRL1, and recreational spaces such as Changi Beach Park and Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park will also become more accessible by public transport. Construction for CRL1 is expected to begin next year 2020 and be completed by 2029.

Engineering studies are still being conducted for the other phases of the CRL, including two underground alignment options in the vicinity of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

LTA said that CRL1 will shorten travel times for commuters between the central, north-eastern and eastern parts of Singapore. A commuter living in Serangoon North and working at Loyang Industrial Estate will benefit from travel time savings of up to 70%, from 75 minutes by bus today to 25 minutes on the CRL1.

CRL1 will connect to the East-West Line at Pasir Ris Station, North East Line at Hougang Station, North-South Line at Ang Mo Kio Station, and the upcoming Thomson-East Coast Line at Bright Hill Station.

A new 57ha depot at Changi East will be constructed at-grade to provide stabling and maintenance facilities for up to 80 CRL trains.

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