More time is needed to complete works safely, says LTA; interim bus services will be introduced
[SINGAPORE] The completion of the Jurong Region Line’s (JRL) first stage will be delayed by six months, said Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow at his ministry’s Committee of Supply debate on Wednesday (Mar 4).
The first stage will open in mid-2028, instead of around the end of 2027 as originally projected.
The JRL will serve the western part of Singapore, including Tengah and the Jurong Innovation District. The line was previously estimated to be opened in stages between 2026 and 2028. In 2021, completion was pushed back a year to 2029 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In response to queries on whether the delay would also add to the overall completion time of the line, a spokesperson for the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said: “We will do our best to open the second and third stages of the JRL as soon as possible, and will provide further updates on the opening dates as works progress.”
LTA said that it has been working with its contractors to increase construction capacity by increasing manpower and equipment deployment to increase the pace of works, but more time was needed to complete certain complex works safely.
It gave the example of constructing a viaduct over the Pan Island Expressway, which could be carried out only during overnight road closures due to safety concerns, as well as another viaduct over a 25-metre-wide canal where ground reinforcement was needed to ensure stability.
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LTA added that it will introduce interim shuttle bus services between the areas served by the JRL’s first stage from the end of 2027, and it will continue to adjust or add bus services where needed.
Construction on the line began in January 2023; it was scheduled to be opened in three stages by 2029, with two extensions announced to be completed in the 2040s.
LTA said it will provide further updates on the opening of the second and third stages of the JRL as works continue.
MRT expansion continuesA number of minor new developments on the MRT network were also provided, including a new station on the JRL, construction on other stages of lines, and research on planned new lines.
The JRL will have a new station – designated JS2A – situated between Choa Chu Kang West MRT Station (JS2) and Tengah MRT Station (JS3) to serve future commuter demand in the Forest Hill district of the Tengah region.
Civil construction works for the station have begun and it is targeted to open in the mid-2030s, together with the completion of future developments surrounding the station.
The new station means the JRL will have 25 stations in total.
LTA announced that engineering studies for the third phase of the Cross Island Line (CRL) have finished and construction will begin in 2027.
The CRL will span over 50 km from Changi to Jurong and it will be completed in 2032. Its first phase, with 12 stations from Aviation Park to Bright Hill, is slated to open in 2030.
LTA added that several segments of tunnelling works on phase one have been completed, and early stage tunnelling for phase two has begun, while construction for phase three begins next year.
Engineering studies for upcoming projects will also begin this year, namely the Seletar Line, Tengah Line and West Coast Extension of the JRL.
Completion on the final stage of works for the Circle Line, its sixth stage, will conclude with three new stations between HarbourFront and Marina Bay stations scheduled to open in the middle of this year, while three new stations on the Thomson-East Coast Line and Downtown Line are also on track to open in the second half of 2026.
Siow also said that fares for the Singapore-Johor Bahru RTS Link were not yet confirmed, despite Malaysia Transport Minister Anthony Loke citing a figure of S$5 to S$7 earlier. He added that it would be up to the operator, RTSO, to determine the fares.
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