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SINGAPORE – The Cross Island MRT Line (CRL) will run directly under Singapore’s largest nature reserve, instead of skirting around it.
Announcing its decision on Wednesday (Dec 4), the Ministry of Transport (MOT) said the direct alignment will have tunnels going 70m below the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.
Both options – going directly under and skirting around the reserve – are considered viable after an in-depth study, but nature groups had strongly called for the skirting alignment to prevent detrimental impact on flora and fauna in the gazetted reserve near MacRitchie Reservoir.
MOT said the direct alignment will result in the total travel time becoming six minutes shorter than the skirting option.
Fares will also be about 15 per cent lower per trip on average as the route is shorter and more direct, and construction cost is expected to be $2 billion lower.
The ministry also said the direct route will be more environmentally friendly in the long run, as it “has lower energy consumption”.
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