SINGAPORE: The replacement contract for the Tampines Expressway (TPE)-Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) Changi Viaduct that collapsed last year has been awarded to Hwa Seng Builder for S$95.6 million, the Land Transport Authority said in a news release on Monday (Dec 10).
Works are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2019, with completion scheduled for the first half of 2022, two years later than it was originally expected to be completed.
Hwa Seng will be responsible for completing the construction of the viaduct, including the demolition of any structures deemed unsafe.
Hwa Seng is an established contractor who has completed various road construction projects, including the new road link connecting Punggol Central to Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) and TPE(PIE) that opened to traffic last month, said the LTA in the release.
READ: Uncompleted viaduct near PIE collapses; 1 dead, 10 injured
READ: PIE viaduct collapse ‘a man-made incident that could have been avoided’: Lim Swee Say
The TPE-PIE Changi viaduct location plan. (Image: LTA)
The incomplete viaduct collapsed on Jul 14 2017, causing the death of Chinese national Chen Yinchuan who was one of 11 workers on top of the structure before the incident. Another three Chinese, one Indian and six Bangladeshi workers were injured too.
In May this year, Or Kim Peow (OKP) Contractors and five individuals – including executive director Or Toh Wat – were charged under the Building Control and the Workplace, Safety and Health Acts for their roles in the incident.
A multi-agency probe into the collapse found that corbels – brackets that help support beams – had given way. Cracks were also found in the areas supporting 11 other parts of the viaduct.
Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said in July 2018 that LTA had reached an agreement to terminate its contract with OKP Contractors and will also recover appropriate costs.
When completed, the TPE-PIE Changi Viaduct will provide a direct connection for motorists travelling from TPE (Changi) to PIE (Westbound) and Upper Changi Road East by bypassing the stretch of TPE (Changi) between Loyang Flyover and Upper Changi Flyover and the existing signalised junctions with Loyang Ave and Upper Changi Road North.
