Final contract for construction of tunnels in DTL extension awarded; work to start in Q3
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An artist's impression of the new Downtown Line MRT station located after Bukit Panjang station.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: LTA
- China Railway Tunnel Group won a $199 million contract to design and construct 1.8km tunnels for the Downtown Line extension.
- Construction begins Q3 2026 with measures to minimise impact on existing railway and residents; completion of the extension is expected by 2035.
- The extension with three stations will shorten commutes.
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SINGAPORE – The local branch of a Chinese firm has clinched the final civil contract for the second extension of the Downtown Line (DTL), with the total cost for the entire project amounting to about $1.26 billion.
The final contract, worth an estimated $199 million, will see China Railway Tunnel Group design and construct tunnels between the existing Bukit Panjang station and the upcoming DE1 station in Sungei Kadut Avenue, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on March 16.
Measuring about 1.8km in length, the set of twin tunnels will be built beneath Woodlands Road and will run through infrastructure such as the Kranji Expressway. Work is slated to begin in the third quarter of 2026.
To minimise the impact on existing railway structures and commuters on the DTL, LTA said it will coordinate with different agencies and operator SBS Transit to ensure that sensitive works are carried out when the line is not operating.
It added that the tunnel construction will also occur within a limited space due to the proximity to Bukit Panjang station.
LTA said it will work with contractors to roll out real-time monitoring of ground stability and measures to ensure that work is carried out safely.
The authority and China Railway Tunnel Group, which is currently working on the construction of Prince Edward Road station for the Circle Line, will also provide regular updates to residents and stakeholders, said LTA.
Passenger service for the extension is expected to start in 2035.
Comprising three stations, the 4km extension will connect to the North-South Line through DE2, an underground station that links to an above-ground one (NS6) situated between Yew Tee and Kranji stations.
The first of the new stations, DE1, will be in Sungei Kadut Avenue. Located near the Rail Corridor, it will be connected to Yew Tee Village, Pang Sua Fishing Deck and Pang Sua Park Connector via a new pedestrian bridge.
Meanwhile, DE2 will function as the new terminus for the DTL, replacing the current one in Bukit Panjang. As an interchange station, it will serve the upcoming Sungei Kadut Eco-District, a 500ha industrial estate.
LTA said that once the extension begins service, it will shorten travel times for passengers travelling to and from the north and north-western parts of Singapore.
Those travelling from Yew Tee to Chinatown, for example, will have their trips shortened by 20 minutes by taking just the MRT, instead of taking an hour and having to take a bus and MRT.
