Speed Up Construction of Jurong Region MRT Line with Resources Diverted from Delayed Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail Project

55 Ms Foo Mee Har asked the Minister for transport whether the construction of Jurong Region MRT Line (JRL) can be expedited by deploying resources from the delayed Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail project.

The Minister for Transport (Mr Khaw Boon Wan): The Jurong Region Line (JRL) will be our seventh MRT Line, after the Thomson-East Coast Line. It is scheduled to open in three stages between 2026 and 2028. It will cover 24 km with 24 stations of which five are interchange stations. Its planning and design works have commenced since March 2014. This is a complex project, and its 10-year project implementation timeline has been carefully adopted to ensure the safety and quality of construction. LTA is adequately resourced to meet this challenging timeline.

First, the JRL will run along existing road corridors where there are many underground utilities and services, such as high voltage cables and large diameter water pipes. All these need to be carefully diverted before JRL construction can commence.

Second, the JRL main construction works are complex. For example, the JRL will interchange with existing MRT lines at Jurong East, Choa Chu Kang and Boon Lay. The new JRL stations will have to be built to safely and seamlessly interface with these existing stations, which are running live operations with heavy commuter loads. In particular, works at Jurong East Station will involve removal of the existing steel roof structure and the construction of a new roof above live tracks and operating platforms.

Third, some parts of the JRL have tight construction corridors. Extra care needs to be taken for works in these constrained areas, so as not to damage or disrupt existing buildings and structures. There needs to be close coordination with surrounding land and building owners. All these require time.

In short, safety in construction is our top priority. LTA does not recommend further shortening the construction timeline, even if additional resources are available, but we will try.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong (Non-Constituency Member): I thank the Minister for his answer. I just want to ask the Minister whether he has any answer for the third part of my question, specifically, whether there are any ancillary works or projects relating to or incidental to the HSR which will still continue in these two years?

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: That was in my answer, that during this rail suspension period, once the activities that need to be wound down are done, there will no more HSR-related works to be done during the suspension period.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh (Ang Mo Kio): May I know the exact date of the suspension, whether there are bids received for the tender, which has been suspended? About the termination few months ago, was there any bids that has been received for the open tender, or the asset-owning company? And whether has the Ministry gone through all those who had tendered, probably some contract sum offered is well within the budget, most likely can be considered?

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: Sir, there was a strong interest in the joint AssetsCo tender, but the AssetsCo tender had not closed yet – at that time. We postponed the closing date to end of this year but now that the project construction has been suspended, on the same day, we have informed all the bidders that the tender has been aborted. But the Member's question was what were the bids that we had received. So, the tender has not closed yet. The tender's closing date is end of this year.