logo
Work begins on Phase 2 of Cross Island Line in Singapore, set to boost MRT connectivity by 2032

Work begins on Phase 2 of Cross Island Line in Singapore, set to boost MRT connectivity by 2032

Malay Mail18 hours ago
SINGAPORE, July 7 — Construction on Phase 2 of the Cross Island Line (CRL) is officially under way in Singapore, with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announcing today that works are expected to complete by 2032.
Singapore media reported that the new 15km stretch will extend the CRL westward, adding six stations and further integrating the expanding MRT network.
Two new stations — Clementi and King Albert Park — will serve as interchanges linking the CRL to the East-West and Downtown lines.
The remaining four — Turf City, Maju, West Coast and Jurong Lake District — are working names aimed at improving access in the west.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony in Clementi, Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said the CRL will 'significantly increase the resilience of our rail network.'
He noted that earlier lines focused on city-bound travel, often requiring commuters to detour through the city to reach other heartland areas.
The CRL, Singapore's second 'orbital line' after the Circle Line, will offer more direct routes and alternative travel paths.
Eight of its 21 stations will be interchanges, helping mitigate service disruptions and creating flexibility for daytime maintenance — a norm in older metro systems like those in London or New York.
It will also be built with future growth in mind. The line will begin operations with six-car trains, expandable to eight.
'There is no, or not a lot more underground space left for another line like this,' Siow reportedly said.
Once fully complete, the CRL will span over 50km, becoming Singapore's longest fully underground MRT line.
Travel times are expected to improve significantly — a West Coast to Ang Mo Kio Industrial Park commute could be cut from over an hour to just 30 minutes.
Phase 1 began in January 2023 with 12 stations and is due by 2030.
A 7.3km Punggol extension is also in progress, while plans for Phase 3, serving the Jurong Industrial Estate, are still under study.
A major engineering milestone in CRL2 will be King Albert Park station, set to be the deepest MRT station in Singapore at 50m — deeper than the future Pasir Ris CRL station (47m) and current record-holder Bencoolen (43m).
CRL1 and CRL2 will be connected via a 5km tunnel beneath the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, bored using a 12.8m-wide machine designed to boost efficiency and minimise disruption.
Challenging geology — granite in Bukit Timah and less stable ground in Jurong — will require advanced tunnelling methods and ground treatment.
LTA is also exploring green construction methods, including electric excavators and solar panels at the CRL Changi East Depot, which will support up to 70 trains.
Given that CRL2 runs through ecologically sensitive areas, LTA has worked with nature groups since 2013 to reduce impact.
This includes shrinking worksites, installing wildlife crossings, building a freshwater marsh at King Albert Park, and rolling out wildlife awareness training for workers.
LTA said it will continue engaging environmental stakeholders throughout the CRL's construction and operation.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Johor Unveils Malaysia's Largest High-Tech Vertical Farm
Johor Unveils Malaysia's Largest High-Tech Vertical Farm

Barnama

time11 hours ago

  • Barnama

Johor Unveils Malaysia's Largest High-Tech Vertical Farm

REGION - SOUTHERN > NEWS ISKANDAR PUTERI, July 7 (Bernama) -- Johor has launched the country's largest high-tech vertical farming facility, spanning over 50,000 square feet, to cultivate leafy vegetables using advanced agrotechnology. Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the RM40 million project is a strategic joint venture between FarmByte Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Johor Corporation (JCorp), and Singapore-based agri-tech company Archisen Pte Ltd. He said the facility, which grows produce such as ice plant salad, is located in the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ). Construction began in 2023, and the farm is now fully operational at Nusajaya Industrial Park here. bootstrap slideshow 'This is a historic milestone for Johor, Malaysia, and Singapore. What began as a pioneering idea two years ago has now become a reality. 'This isn't just an agricultural project - it is a new ecosystem that strengthens regional food security,' he told reporters after the launch ceremony today. Also present were Archisen director Vincent Wei, JCorp chairman Datuk Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim, and State Investment, Trade, Consumer Affairs and Human Resources Committee chairman Lee Ting Han. Onn Hafiz said the project has attracted interest from various agricultural industry players from both Malaysia and Singapore, who are exploring future collaborations. He noted that FarmByte and Archisen are in talks with several other companies to expand operations and build a robust regional ecosystem for vertical farming. 'They aim to scale up operations and establish a comprehensive farming network. We hope this will be realised soon, with strong support from all stakeholders,' he said.

Johor launches Malaysia's largest high-tech vertical farm
Johor launches Malaysia's largest high-tech vertical farm

The Sun

time11 hours ago

  • The Sun

Johor launches Malaysia's largest high-tech vertical farm

ISKANDAR PUTERI: Johor has officially opened Malaysia's largest high-tech vertical farming facility, covering 50,000 square feet, to grow leafy greens using advanced agricultural technology. The RM40 million project is a collaboration between FarmByte Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Johor Corporation (JCorp), and Singapore-based agri-tech firm Archisen Pte Ltd. Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi described the facility as a strategic development within the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ). Located at Nusajaya Industrial Park, the farm began construction in 2023 and is now fully operational, producing crops such as ice plant salad. 'This is a historic milestone for Johor, Malaysia, and Singapore. What began as a pioneering idea two years ago has now become a reality. This isn't just an agricultural project - it is a new ecosystem that strengthens regional food security,' Onn Hafiz said during the launch ceremony. The facility integrates large-scale infrastructure with smart farming systems, enabling year-round production of high-quality leafy greens. Using controlled environment agriculture (CEA) technology, the farm operates without pesticides and is unaffected by weather conditions. With an estimated annual yield of 306,000 kilogrammes, the farm aligns with Malaysia's National Food Security Policy Action Plan and Singapore's '30 by 30' initiative, which aims to produce 30 per cent of its nutritional needs locally by 2030. FarmByte and Archisen are in discussions with other companies to expand operations and develop a regional vertical farming network. 'They aim to scale up operations and establish a comprehensive farming network. We hope this will be realised soon, with strong support from all stakeholders,' Onn Hafiz added. Key figures present at the launch included Archisen director Vincent Wei, JCorp chairman Datuk Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim, and State Investment, Trade, Consumer Affairs and Human Resources Committee chairman Lee Ting Han. – Bernama

Tee time's up: Singapore to retire four golf courses for national needs by 2035
Tee time's up: Singapore to retire four golf courses for national needs by 2035

Malay Mail

time14 hours ago

  • Malay Mail

Tee time's up: Singapore to retire four golf courses for national needs by 2035

SINGAPORE, July 7 — Four golf courses across Singapore will permanently close by 2035 as the country's government presses ahead with plans to optimise land use for housing, infrastructure and economic development. The Ministry of Law (MinLaw) announced today that the leases or tenancies of Mandai Executive Golf Course, Warren Golf & Country Club, Orchid Country Club and Tanah Merah Country Club's Garden course will not be renewed, The Straits Times reported today. This follows the recent closure of Marina Bay Golf Course in June 2024, which will make way for the upcoming Bay East Garden. MinLaw added that decisions on lease renewals are based on Singapore's growing land needs. Mandai Executive, a public nine-hole course, will be the first to go when its tenancy ends on December 31, 2026. Its land will be used by the Ministry of Education to build an Outdoor Adventure Learning Centre — one of three new campsites planned by 2032. Warren and Orchid Country Club will follow in 2030 when their leases expire. Both sites have been earmarked for residential use under the Urban Redevelopment Authority's Draft Master Plan 2025. The final closure will be Tanah Merah Country Club's Garden course, when its lease ends on December 31, 2035. MinLaw said its location near Changi Airport makes it suitable for future uses that support economic growth. The leases for SICC's Bukit course and Keppel Club's Sime course will also expire on December 31, 2030. Their land will be divided between a new 18-hole public course operator and the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), which currently runs Orchid Country Club. Details on how the land will be split and future lease terms are still under study. Following the closures, 12 golf courses are expected to remain, including the Bukit and Sime courses. Two of them — NSRCC's Kranji course and Sentosa Golf Club's Serapong course — will have leases extended to December 31, 2040. Seven more courses already have leases that run till 2040: SICC's Island and New courses Changi Golf Club Laguna National's two 18-hole courses Seletar Country Club NSRCC Changi Sentosa Golf Club's Tanjong course Sembawang Country Club, operated by the Ministry of Defence, sits on state land under a licensing agreement with Mindef. To support local talent, MinLaw said a second Centre of Excellence will be launched by the Singapore Golf Association (SGA) and NSRCC to expand training opportunities for the national and youth teams. It will complement the existing centre at Keppel's Sime course.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store