The newly upgraded Mujahidin Mosque in western Singapore was officially opened by Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Dr Yaacob Ibrahim on Friday afternoon.

Completed under the second phase of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore's (Muis') Mosque Upgrading Programme, the renovated mosque along Stirling Road will now be able to take in a total of 4,500 worshippers - up from the 3,500 prayer spaces it had initially. A multi-purpose hall, meant for seminars and community events, as well as 13 classrooms for Islamic learning were also added to the 37-year-old mosque as part of the $3.7 million upgrading works.

Barrier-free facilities like ramps and a 20-person capacity lift was also installed for the elderly and the physically handicapped during the renovations - the mosque's first major upgrading since 1977 - that started on March 18 last year.

Muis said the upgraded mosque will cater to the demand for prayer space by residents of Commonwealth, Queenstown and Holland Village housing estates.

The upgrading will also enable the Mujahidin Mosque to be better able to absorb worshippers from the nearby Kampong Holland Mosque, which sits on an area earmarked for redevelopment and is slated to close by April.

The new Qaryah Office of the Kampong Holland Mosque, which organises community and family-based activities, will also be relocated to the Mujahidin Mosque.

Singapore's mufti Dr Mohamed Fatris Bakaram led prayers at the mosque on Friday.