Commuters will have a new underpass to get to the redeveloped Capitol Singapore from City Hall MRT station by early next year.

The underground link will be funded and constructed by Capitol Investment Holdings, the developer of the $1.1 billion project on North Bridge Road.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will create a new entrance at City Hall station that will connect it to Basement 2 of Capitol Singapore, an integrated development with residences, a hotel, retail mall and a theatre.

In a statement yesterday, the LTA said the link will "improve pedestrian access and comfort". It called for tenders to construct the new entrance at City Hall.

Works on the link and the entrance are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of this year, and conclude in the first quarter of next year.

The 542,000 sq ft Capitol Singapore project includes three conservation buildings opposite St Andrew's Cathedral - Capitol Theatre, Capitol Building and Stamford House.

The project's retail offerings, a 39-unit residential component named Eden Residences Capitol and a 157-room six-star hotel The Patina Capitol will be completed by the end of this year.

There are ongoing improvements to other MRT stations.

The LTA will add new entrances with fare gates and ticketing machines to Commonwealth, Clementi and Queenstown stations by the second half of next year. An additional pedestrian bridge will also be built at each station to alleviate congestion on existing linkways.

At Choa Chu Kang LRT station, the LTA will add two platforms to ease crowding. They will be completed in 2016.

ROYSTON SIM