Works to start in April 2018 following the completion of advance works

Construction works for the final stretch of the Circle Line (CCL) will start from April 2018, following the completion of advance works. The 4-km Circle Line 6 (CCL6) closes the loop for the CCL by connecting HarbourFront Station to Marina Bay Station. With the addition of three stations – Keppel, Cantonment and Prince Edward by 2025, the CCL will have a total of 33 stations, including 12 interchange stations with other MRT lines. It will also expand the rail network to areas such as Spottiswoode, Keppel Road and the southern edge of the Central Business District (CBD). 

2    When completed, the CCL6 will provide better connectivity and greater time savings for commuters. They will enjoy a direct route between areas in the west, such as Pasir Panjang and Kent Ridge, and key employment areas in the CBD, as well as upcoming developments in the Marina Bay area. Commuters travelling from areas such as Paya Lebar and Mountbatten will also have direct access to the retail and office clusters in the HarbourFront area.

Advance works progressing well

3    Advance works for the CCL6 have commenced progressively since late-2015 and are expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2018. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has worked closely with Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), National Heritage Board (NHB) and Singapore Land Authority (SLA) to prepare the CCL6 sites for station construction and tunnelling works. These works include the relocation of affected port facilities in Keppel Terminal, the Shenton Way Bus Terminal and the canopy structures of the former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station.

Cantonment Station

• When completed, Cantonment Station will serve residents of Spottiswoode estate and those who work in the Tanjong Pagar area. The station will be built under the old train platform of the former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, and be seamlessly integrated with the former railway station building. The design of Cantonment station will also take into consideration the original design of the historic railway station. With the integration of the new and old train stations, commuters will get to enjoy a unique blend of the past and present, reflecting the rich historical value of the national monument.   
  
  

Photo 1: Artist’s impression of the station platform of Cantonment Station
 

• As part of the ongoing advance works, LTA has in November 2017 completed the relocation of the old train platform canopy structures that will be affected by construction works of the upcoming station to a restoration yard nearby. As the construction for Cantonment Station progresses, LTA will work with architectural conservation specialists to clean, repair and treat the affected platform canopy structures. These structures will be fully reinstated at their original location when the construction of the station is completed in 2025.

Photo 2: Platform canopy structures from the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station in the restoration yard

Prince Edward Station

• The construction of Prince Edward Station will commence in the second quarter of the year. To facilitate the construction, the Shenton Way Bus Terminal was relocated in June 2017. The Prince Edward Station and CCL6 alignment have been designed to avoid affecting buildings in the area with significant heritage, including the Fook Tet Soo Khek Temple, the Haji Muhammad Salleh Mosque, the Keramat Habib Noh and the main block of Bestway Building (former Singapore Polytechnic building). The condition of these important historic buildings will be carefully monitored during construction. As for the rear annexes of Bestway Building and Palmer House, which will be demolished, NHB has documented these buildings photographically and will be sharing them on the NHB’s Roots.sg page in future.

Photo 3: Shenton Way Bus Terminal, which was relocated to allow the construction of Prince Edward Station

Engagement with Heritage Community

4    Since the alignment of CCL6 was announced in October 2015, government agencies have taken on board feedback and suggestions from the heritage community for the construction of the CCL6 stations. These included reinstating the platform canopy structures at the former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, re-designing the proposed entrance of the Prince Edward Station and relocating it to the east of the temple to provide a clear view of the temple, and realigning Palmer Road with more open and green spaces.

5    Works for the CCL6 will continue to allow it to open for passenger service in 2025.