Two new MRT lines to be completed by 2040s, $1 billion invested in rail maintenance
Two proposed new MRT lines are currently under consideration by Singapore’s Land Transport Authority. These lines are expected to be completed in the 2040s and could potentially serve more than 400,000 households.
The first proposed line, the Seletar Line, aims to serve areas such as Woodlands, Sembawang, Sengkang West, Serangoon North, Whampoa, Kallang, and the Greater Southern Waterfront. The second line, tentatively named the Tengah Line, is expected to supplement the existing transport network in the west and northwest regions, serving areas like Tengah, Bukit Batok, Queensway, and Bukit Merah.
Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat announced in a parliamentary speech on March 5 that the Seletar Line and Tengah Line may be connected, pending the results of LTA’s feasibility studies.
Chee also revealed LTA’s plans to move forward with the West Coast Extension (WCE), which will extend the Jurong Region Line (JRL) to connect with the Circle Line (CCL) and the Cross Island Line (CRL). This will be done in two phases, with the first phase connecting the JRL to the CRL by the late 2030s and the second phase connecting the JRL to the CCL’s Kent Ridge Station by the early 2040s.
Once completed, the WCE is expected to reduce travel time between the West and the city centre by up to 20 minutes. The government plans to invest up to $1 billion over the next five years to maintain high-reliability standards in both newer and older train systems. This investment will go towards condition monitoring systems, implementing new technologies to improve efficiency and effectiveness of rail maintenance, and providing workforce training programmes for rail workers.
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LTA states that these efforts to expand the rail network and enhance rail asset management, as well as investing in the upskilling of rail workers, will ensure the continued delivery of convenient, reliable, and resilient public transport for commuters in Singapore.