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Singapore on track to double rail network by 2030

SINGAPORE — Plans to double Singapore’s rail network by 2030 are on track, with no delays in the construction of new lines, while upgrading works such as replacement of the signalling system and sleepers are progressing on schedule, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in an update today (Nov 20).

Gali Batu Depot, which will house all Downtown Line (DTL) trains upon completion of the DTL2 line in December this year. TODAY file photo

Gali Batu Depot, which will house all Downtown Line (DTL) trains upon completion of the DTL2 line in December this year. TODAY file photo

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SINGAPORE — Plans to double Singapore’s rail network by 2030 are on track, with no delays in the construction of new lines, while upgrading works such as replacement of the signalling system and sleepers are progressing on schedule, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in an update today (Nov 20).

The Downtown Line 2 will open on schedule on Dec 27 to serve those living in the Bukit Panjang and Bukit Timah areas, while Downtown Line 3 is on track for completion in 2017.

Construction of the Thomson-East Coast Line is under way, with tunnelling and excavation works in progress. The LTA today also announced that it has awarded the first civil contract for the line to Samsung C&T Corporation. The company will build Marine Parade Station and its associated tunnels for a sum of about S$555 million. Construction is expected to start in the first quarter of next year and finish in 2023.

Meanwhile, the new signalling system for the North-South Line was 96 per cent complete as of last month, and will be ready by the middle of next year.

When completed, commuters can look forward to an increase in capacity of up to 20 per cent, with six trains every 10 minutes from the current five. The East-West Line will similarly have its signalling system upgraded by 2018.

Sleeper replacement for the East-West Line has also started, and with the earlier closures of some stations, engineers will be able to replace more sleepers.

More than 92,000 timber sleepers on the viaducts between Boon Lay and Tiong Bahru stations, as well as between Lavender and Pasir Ris, will be replaced with concrete sleepers by the end of next year. 

Trains will also continue to be added to the network every year until 2019. The North-South and East-West Line will have 57 new trains added to its current fleet of 141, while the North-East Line will have 15 new trains added by the end of next year, increasing its total fleet to 43.

The Circle Line fleet will get another 11 new trains by the middle of next year, increasing its fleet size to 64 trains.

The Bukit Panjang LRT has had all 13 new train cars added, while the LTA has modified 16 of the 41 train cars on the Sengkang-Punggol LRT to operate in pairs, with another 16 new train-cars to be added to the fleet.

Testing for the modified cars on the Sengkang tracks started this month, and the cars will enter service by the first quarter of next year. The signalling system for the Punggol LRT is being upgraded to enable two-car operations by the first quarter of 2017.

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