SINGAPORE - Popular local attraction Haw Par Villa reopened on Thursday (July 1), after a nine-month closure for upgrading.

The theme park in Pasir Panjang was closed in October last year for works that included enhanced night lighting, and ventilation for the 10 Courts of Hell diorama.

Conservation work was also done on sculptures.

The 10 Courts of Hell is an attraction in Haw Par Villa that depicts in detail the punishments in the afterlife that would await the souls of sinners.

It is currently closed and will reopen as part of a new attraction, Hell's Museum, in October.

The theme park was initially slated to reopen in April. But the park operator, tour company Journeys, needed more time to "further enhance its offerings", the Singapore Tourism Board's (STB) executive director for attractions, entertainment and tourism concept development, Ms Jean Ng, had said earlier.

Haw Par Villa said in a Facebook post on June 25 that Hell's Museum will open on Oct 28. It was originally scheduled to open in August.

Mr Eisen Teo, senior researcher from Journeys, told The Straits Times that the delay was due to the constraints in manpower and supplies brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said: "Recent heightened restrictions and work-from-home requirements have had a significant impact on the team being able to work on the project efficiently."

Mr Teo added that there are still some outstanding repairs to the park to be completed by STB which would hopefully be done by September.

The operating hours for the theme park is from 9am to 10pm. Admission is free.