SINGAPORE: The Cross Island Line (CRL) will take a direct route under the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR), the Ministry of Transport (MOT) announced on Wednesday (Dec 4).
This comes after years of debate and consultation over the routes Singapore’s longest MRT line would take.
Nature groups and environmentalists had previously raised concerns that the direct route – which will include a 2km tunnel under the CCNR – could have an impact on Singapore’s wildlife and nature.
The other route considered was a 9km stretch skirting the reserve and going under homes and businesses. The CRL is targeted to be completed in 2040.
Proposed alignment options for Singapore’s Cross Island Line.
“After in-depth studies of the two underground alignment options for the stretch of the Cross Island Line in the vicinity of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve and extensive public consultations with various stakeholders, the Government has studied the trade-offs and selected on the direct alignment option which runs 70m under the CCNR,” said MOT.
CHEAPER, MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
In explaining its decision, the ministry said the direct route offers shorter travelling time of about six minutes time for commuters.
This is expected to lower public transport fares by about 15 per cent on average due to a shorter and more direct route, MOT said.
The direct route also presents a reduction in construction costs by about S$2 billion for taxpayers.
“In the longer term, it is a more environmentally-friendly option as the direct alignment has a lower energy consumption,” MOT said.
READ: Cross Island Line environmental impact on nature reserve can be ‘adequately managed’: LTA study
READ: Wildlife seen in Cross Island Line site investigations
Since the CRL was first announced in 2013, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has conducted feasibility studies on the two CRL routes and invited the public to give their feedback.
It has also held more than 40 engagement sessions with stakeholders, including nature and heritage groups, grassroots leaders and affected residents.
Based on the sessions, LTA said the 2km tunnel under the CCNR will be about 70m deep, as opposed to the typical 20-30m, with no surface work sites to ensure that surface flora and fauna will not be affected.
The CRL, Singapore’s eighth MRT line, will stretch from Jurong to Changi and is expected to save commuters up to 30 minutes to 45 minutes of travel time.
The fully underground line is expected to serve more than 600,000 trips daily, more than the existing North-East Line.
It will also connect existing radial MRT lines, with almost half of its stations being interchange stations, and is part of a plan to almost double Singapore’s rail network by 2030 and put eight out of 10 households within a 10-minute walk of a train station.
The first phase of the CRL, consisting of 12 stations, will open by 2029.
