The ambitious expansion of Singapore’s metro system continues to provide choice contracts for domestic firms and foreign ones with track records in the city state.
Today, the country’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) awarded two civil contracts for the design and construction of Cross Island Line Phase 1 (CRL1) stations and tunnels at a combined contract value of $110.5m (HK$861m). The contracts went to a Singaporean firm and a Japanese one.
Twenty-nine kilometres in length and with 12 stations, the Cross Island Line is Singapore’s eighth. It will serve existing and future developments in the eastern, north-eastern and western corridors, linking hubs such as Jurong Lake District, Punggol Digital District and Changi region. Nearly half its stations will connect with other rail lines, increasing connectivity for commuters.
Serangoon North Station and tunnels
The first contract, for the design and construction of Serangoon North station and tunnels, has been won by Singaporean firm Hock Lian Seng Infrastructure at a contract value of $58.3m (HK$454m).
Hock Lian Seng built the Kim Chuan Depot and Marina Bay station for the Circle Line, and is currently involved in building Maxwell station along the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL).
Serangoon North station is located under the busy dual lanes of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 and the Yio Chu Kang Road vehicular bridge. The station is wider than usual as there will be three railway tracks instead of two, with the additional track being used to facilitate the withdrawal or parking of trains. Traffic diversions will be implemented at stages during construction to give Hock Lian Seng space to work.
The underpass connection will be constructed by mining under Yio Chu Kang Road bridge instead of the typical cut-and-cover method to keep bridge traffic flowing.
Tavistock Station and tunnels
The second contract, for the design and construction of Tavistock station and tunnels, has been awarded to Japanese infrastructure company Sato Kogyo at a contract value of $407m.
With long experience in Singapore, the company built Bencoolen and Mattar stations on the Downtown Line as well as Upper Thomson station on the TEL.
Tavistock station is located along the busy roads of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 and surrounded by residential and commercial properties. To overcome space constraints, the intermediate launch shaft for the deployment of the tunnel boring machines will be constructed a distance away from the construction site. Tunnelling works will proceed west towards CRL Ang Mo Kio station as well as east towards the next station at Serangoon North, passing through Tavistock station.
The ground at Tavistock station is made up of Old Alluvium, a predominantly soil-like material comprising sandy and silty clay. This abrasive ground condition is expected to cause some wear to the cutting equipment on the tunnel boring machines.
Work on Serangoon North and Tavistock stations are expected to start in the second quarter of this year, with passenger service for CRL1 slated to commence in 2030.
