The North-East MRT Line extension will open in 2023 -
seven years ahead of its expected opening date of 2030.
The one-station extension will span about 1.6km. It
will serve the Punggol North area and the station is likely to be
called Punggol Coast station.The North-East Line
threads through
the city from HarbourFront to the
growing HDB estates in Sengkang and
Punggol.
Second Minister for Transport Ng Chee Meng announced
this on Wednesday (June 7) during a tour of the Tuas West Extension
on the East-West Line which will open later this month (June).
The Land Transport Authority had said earlier that the
extension of the North-East Line will be built in tandem with the
developments there so that future residents in Punggol North will
have train access to the city centre as well as other parts of
Singapore.
Punggol North will be a mixed-used area and is slated
to be an "enterprise district" housing digital and cyber- security
industries.
It will also be the first district where new planning
concepts will be applied and a master developer will be appointed
to take charge of the entire district.
In Punggol North's case, JTC Corporation will be
appointed.
The district will include the new Singapore Institute
of Technology campus which will be located next to JTC's business
parks.
"This will benefit residents and students in the
Punggol town area, especially in the northern part of Punggol,"
said Mr Ng.
The LTA will call tenders for the construction of the
NEL extension this month (June), with construction expected to
begin in the first half of next year (2018).
ST