Migrant workers move out of temporary housing in Bukit Merah, return to dorms

The 21 HDB blocks in Redhill Close housed healthy migrant workers. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG

SINGAPORE - Migrant workers have moved out of their temporary housing facility in Bukit Merah and returned to their dormitories.

The last batch of workers departed from the Housing Board blocks in Redhill Close on Wednesday (Dec 30) morning after having stayed there since April.

"As we move into phase three of the safe reopening of our economy, the need to house healthy migrant workers temporarily at Redhill has also come to an end," said Labour MP Melvin Yong on Facebook.

The 21 HDB blocks in Redhill Close housed healthy migrant workers employed in essential services such as cleaning and maintenance.

They were moved there, as the spread of the coronavirus in foreign worker dormitories became a concern earlier in the year.

The Redhill Close site was one of 36 unused state properties which were converted to temporary accommodation for migrant workers.

Among the locations were 17 former schools, including the former Innova Junior College in Champions Way, the former Serangoon JC in Upper Serangoon Road, and the former Tampines JC in Tampines Avenue 9.

Nine vacant factories, tentage at NSRCC Kranji as well as nine other vacant state properties were converted for the same purpose.

On Wednesday, Mr Yong added that he spoke with the agencies which managed the Redhill Close site.

These agencies had faced "immense challenges" while working to provide the migrant workers with data connectivity, a working minimart, an in-house clinic and barber services.

"These were just a few of the amenities they had to provide almost overnight," he added.

Mr Yong, who is also MP for Radin Mas SMC, thanked his residents for welcoming the migrant workers in the neighbourhood.

He also expressed his gratitude to the Redhill grassroots leaders and various public sector agencies involved in managing the site.

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