SINGAPORE - Seven new MRT stations that make up the fourth stage of the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) have been handed over to rail operator SMRT for a final set of tests, ahead of their scheduled opening in the first half of 2024.
In a Facebook post on Feb 6, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said civil and structural works for the stations – Tanjong Rhu, Katong Park, Tanjong Katong, Marine Parade, Marine Terrace, Siglap and Bayshore – have been completed.
The testing and commissioning of trains and systems are also done.
Now that the stations have been handed over, the next set of tests involves integrating TEL Stage 4 with the rest of the operational stations on the rail line so that trains can run through them seamlessly, LTA said. SMRT will also be running further tests to get its operations ready to serve passengers, the authority added.
Mr Lam Sheau Kai, president of SMRT Trains, said the company will work on preparing its operations and maintenance staff, and getting them familiar with the new stations, tunnels and system equipment. “Like with previous TEL stages, we will carry out various operational timetable runs, contingency plans and incident management exercises to ensure we are ready for train service.”
LTA previously said the operator would need a few months for this.
Construction on TEL Stage 4 began in 2016, and it was originally scheduled to open in 2023. But the project timeline was delayed by a year due to Covid-19 disruptions.
In an interview with Lianhe Zaobao published on Jan 9, then Acting Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said the authorities aim to open TEL Stage 4 in the first half of 2024.
According to LTA, public transport users going from East Coast Park to Orchard will be able to save up to 30 minutes in travel time with TEL Stage 4.
The three-station TEL Stage 1 from Woodlands North to Woodlands South opened in January 2020.
For TEL Stage 2, six stations from Springleaf to Caldecott were handed over to SMRT on April 30, 2021, before they were opened about four months later on Aug 28, 2021.
The third stage of the TEL from Stevens to Gardens by the Bay opened for passenger service on Nov 13, 2022. The 11 stations were handed over to SMRT about three months before, on Aug 17, 2022.
The fifth stage of the TEL – comprising Bedok South and Sungei Bedok stations – is expected to open in 2025.
Founders’ Memorial station will open in tandem with the actual memorial opening in 2027.
LTA previously said the TEL will provide more alternative travel routes for residents living in the eastern region of Singapore and along the North-South Corridor when it is fully completed.
More than 240,000 households will be within a 10-minute walk of a TEL station when Singapore’s sixth MRT line is fully operational.
In the initial years, the TEL is expected to serve about 500,000 passengers daily, with the figure rising to about one million passengers in the longer term.
As at October 2023, average weekday ridership on the TEL stood at 177,000.
