SINGAPORE - A stop-work order has been issued to builders at the Housing Board's Clementi NorthArc Build-To-Order (BTO) construction site after a landslide on Friday morning injured one person and caused damage to a nearby park connector.
Addressing concerns of new-flat buyers, Ms Sim Ann, the MP for the area, said it is unlikely that key collection for the units will be delayed, with the first batch being planned for December.
The landslide in the early hours of Friday morning happened at the Ulu Pandan Park Connector, which is near the almost ready BTO project, the completion of which had been delayed from the second half of this year to March next year.
The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) said both its engineers and HDB engineers have assessed the buildings in the immediate vicinity and confirmed they remain structurally sound.
However, it said in a Facebook post: “As an immediate measure, the builder and professional engineer are required to carry out slope stabilisation measures and put in place monitoring instruments to monitor the soil movement.”
"Works for the buildings, which are not affected, can proceed,” the authority added in a later update.
A section of the park connector was closed after soil spilt into the nearby Ulu Pandan Canal.
“Both banks of Sungei Ulu Pandan, from Commonwealth Avenue West (near Ghim Moh Road) to Ayer Rajah Expressway, will be closed to facilitate repair works from today till further notice,” said the National Parks Board (NParks).
One passer-by sustained minor injuries and was attended to at the site, said HDB in a statement on Facebook. It added that the injured man is now resting at home. No other injuries were reported.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force said it received a call at about 1.30am for help in Commonwealth Avenue West and assessed a person for minor injuries. He declined to be taken to hospital.
“HDB is working with NParks, PUB and BCA to conduct a thorough investigation of the incident and carry out the necessary recovery actions,” said HDB.
In her Facebook update at about 4pm, Ms Sim said utilities supply to the surrounding areas would not be affected as no damage was detected.
The Straits Times understands that nearby train operations, which are above ground, are not affected by the landslide.
Cyclist Baven Chin, who travels on the section of the affected park connector twice a week from Ghim Moh to Pandan Road, said the landslide can cause flooding in the area now that soil and mud have spilt into the canal.
“The rain is going to come. I don’t know what is going to happen. It is probably going to flood this area or there is going to be heavy washing away (of soil),” said the 53-year-old management consultant.
Addressing concerns over potential flooding if the canal is choked, PUB said on Facebook at about 1pm that HDB is working on removing earth within the canal.
Ms Sim said in her update that a key priority is to restore water flow in Ulu Pandan Canal and address the flood risk.
Water quality in the nearby Pandan Reservoir is not affected, PUB said.
It added that it has deployed quick response team vehicles at locations upstream of the canal, which will be on standby to respond to any potential flooding incidents in the event of heavy rainfall.
Mr Lim Thiam Chye, 56, a resident of Block 307, which is near the area affected by the landslide, said street lamps in the vicinity were not working at 1am on Friday. He added that there are park connector users even at night. "There are people who cycle and run here at night."
The Clementi NorthArc HDB project was launched in February 2017 with an estimated completion date in the second half of this year. But the BTO project has been hit with delays - first till the third quarter of this year, and again for up to six more months till March next year.
ST reported in April that buyers of Clementi NorthArc and two other BTO projects were frustrated at being informed late about the latest round of delays.
- Additional reporting by Isabelle Liew
