Feb 12, 2008 By Christopher Tan
Construction works on Downtown MRT line
begin
IN 12 years' time, Singapore residents should be able to get to
every major residential and commercial centre across the island by
hopping onto an MRT train.
At a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday morning to mark the
start of construction works on the $12 billion 40km Downtown Line,
Land Transport Authority chairman Michael Lim said Singapore's rail
network would have doubled in length to 278km by 2020,
'comprehensive enough to support access to points across the
island, supporting Singapore's vision for public transport as a
choice mode of travel'.
The first stage of the Downtown Line is 4.3km and will have six
stations: Chinatown, Cross Street, Landmark, Bayfront, Promenade
and Bugis. When this stage is ready by 2013, commuters will have
quick access to developments in Marina Bay, such as the Business
Financial Centre and Sands Resort. The rest of the Downtown Line
will be completed by 2016.
Mr Lim noted that the Downtown Line is but one of several new
rail projects rolling out in the next decade or so. Others include
the Thomson Line, and extensions to the North-south and East-west
lines.
Together with projects that are ongoing today - such as the
Circle Line and Boon Lay Extension - Singapore has committed $40b
on new MRT lines.
'Despite the high volume of infrastructure projects taking place
across the island, safety is a top priority for LTA throughout the
construction process,' the chairman said.
He cited LTA's safety record in the last few years.
In 2003, it lost 252 man-days per million man-hours spent on its
projects.
The following year, it hit a high of 1,049 man-days lost, when a
Circle Line cave-in caused Nicoll Highway to collapse, killing four
workers. But since then, man-days lost had fallen to 435 and 320 in
2005 and 2006 respectively.
Last year, it dropped to a low 49 man-days.
'Safety competence and professionalism are core values LTA
regards highly,' Mr Lim added.
