SINGAPORE – Construction on the three stations that will make up the second extension of the Downtown Line (DTL) will begin in the second quarter of 2026, with the two contracts awarded for them totalling around $735 million.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Feb 19 said it awarded one contract to Woh Hup Engineering, and the other to a joint venture between construction firm Samwoh Corporation and the Singapore branch of China Communications Construction Company.
For about $285 million, Woh Hup Engineering will design and build an underground MRT station in Sungei Kadut Avenue, as well as build a vehicular bridge to extend Choa Chu Kang North 7 and a pedestrian bridge over Pang Sua Canal.
The pedestrian bridge will enhance connectivity between Yew Tee, the new station codenamed DE1 and the Rail Corridor, said LTA.
Other projects that Woh Hup Engineering is involved in include
tunnelling works for the DTL’s second extension
, and the design and construction of Punggol Interchange and Loyang stations on the Cross Island Line (CRL).
It is also working on the tunnels for the first phase of the CRL and its extension to Punggol.
The second contract, worth about $450 million, will see the joint venture build two MRT stations that are connected to one another.
One is the underground station codenamed DE2 on the DTL, while the other is an aboveground station on the North-South Line (NSL), codenamed NS6. The NSL station will be located between Yew Tee and Kranji stations.
Passenger service for the extension is
expected to start in 2035
.
Some projects that Samwoh Corporation has worked on include the Sentosa Gateway Tunnel and the flyover slip road from Seletar West Link to Seletar Expressway.
China Communications Construction Company is currently involved in the construction of Tampines North, King Albert Park and Clementi stations on the CRL. It is also working on the viaduct and tunnels for the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link.
LTA said the construction work on the stations will take place concurrently, adding that earth retaining and stabilising structures will be used “due to expected complex ground conditions in the area”.
Such structures prevent the ground around a worksite from shifting. LTA said the works will take place near the NSL during non-operating hours to minimise any impact on NSL commuters.
The authority said it will work with the contractors to monitor ground stability in real time and put in place measures to ensure work is done safely while having minimal impact on people and infrastructure nearby.
LTA also said it will implement measures to control construction dust and noise during the works, and added that it would provide regular updates to residents and other parties on the progress made.
Once the extension is up and running, it will “shorten travel times for commuters travelling to and from the north and north-western parts of Singapore”.
For instance, travelling from Yew Tee to Chinatown will be 20 minutes faster, from a one-hour journey that involves taking a bus and then the MRT to a trip solely on the MRT.