Civil contracts worth $1.16 billion awarded for construction of North-South Corridor

Rochor Centre, in a file photo taken on May 11, 2018, is earmarked for the upcoming North-South Corridor. PHOTO: MCI

SINGAPORE - Another two civil contracts have been awarded for the construction of the future North-South Corridor (NSC) which will connect towns in the north to the city centre.

Worth a combined $1.16 billion, the contracts were clinched by Samsung C&T Corporation, and a joint venture between Leighton Contractors (Asia) (Singapore Branch) and Yongnam Engineering & Construction, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced on Wednesday (May 23).

The 21.5km corridor, which is targeted to be completed in 2026, is a largely underground expressway with dedicated bus and cycling lanes.

Samsung C&T Corporation was awarded the first contract for the corridor in November (2017), to design and build a 1.25km stretch of tunnel between Novena Rise and Toa Payoh Rise.

The second NSC contract it was awarded, worth $602.6 million, will see the South Korean firm design and construct a 1.37km section of the NSC tunnel between Toa Payoh Rise and Marymount Lane with one exit ramp.

The LTA said that the company has a strong track record in Singapore, having completed several major projects, such as a 1.75km stretch of the Marina Coastal Expressway, as well as the Downtown Line 3's Expo and Upper Changi Stations.

The $553.8 million contract awarded to the Leighton-Yongnam joint venture is for a 0.64km section of tunnel between Kampong Java Road and Suffolk Walk.

This includes the provision of commuter facilities, such as pedestrian overhead bridges, bus stops, sheltered walkways and cycling paths, along with the widening of Rochor Canal. The joint venture will also build an entry and exit ramp each with the tunnel.

The LTA said that Leighton Contractors is an established contractor in Australia that constructed the Downtown Line 3's Jalan Besar Station and tunnels.

Of its partner, Yongnam Engineering & Construction, the LTA said the local firm has been involved in many sub-contract works like steel-strutting and deep excavation for local road and rail tunnel projects.

Works for the latest two contracts will start at end-2018, said the LTA.

To date, 11 civil contracts to construct the NSC's tunnels have been called, and three have been awarded.

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