Singapore: LTA awards $356 million contract for Cross Island Line tunnel works

Construction works for a 3.2km tunnel which will hold two Cross Island Line MRT tracks was awarded on Monday (March 8) to Taisei Corporation of Japan and the Singapore branch of the China State Construction Engineering Corporation.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said this is the first time a large-diameter tunnel boring machine will be used to construct a single tunnel with the two tracks in it.

The project involves the design and construction of the underground tunnel between Aviation Park station and Loyang station on phase one of the MRT line, which is slated to begin operations in 2030.

Boring works will begin in the second quarter of this year by the joint venture, which secured the contract at $356 million.

Taisei Corporation and China State Construction Engineering both have experience in rail stations and local tunnels. Taisei Corporation is now involved in the construction of the Marina Bay station and tunnels for the Thomson-East Coast Line, while China State Construction Engineering Corporation is constructing Keppel and Cantonment stations on the Circle Line, as well as tunnels for the North-East Line extension.

When completed, the 50 kilometre Cross Island Line will pass through Loyang, Tampines, Hougang, Serangoon North and Ang Mo Kio, among other areas, and link major hubs such as Jurong Lake district, the Punggol Digital district and the Changi region. Half of its stations will be interchanges with other train lines.

The LTA has projected that daily ridership should be at least 600,000 in the initial years, growing to one million in the longer term.

LTA had previously already awarded contracts for the Cross Island Line. In 2019, works for Teck Ghee MRT station was awarded to Shanghai Tunnel Engineering as part of North-South Corridor tunnel works. The North-South Corridor is an expressway with dedicated bus lanes and cycling paths. It is expected to be completed in 2026.