SINGAPORE - New two-carriage trains will replace the current fleet of one-car trains on the Sengkang-Punggol Light Rapid Transit (SPLRT) system from 2024 to better serve the residents in the two large estates.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Tuesday (Feb 15) that it has awarded two contracts with a combined value of around $596 million to improve the SPLRT system.
The first contract, valued at $439 million, is for 17 new two-carriage trains as well as the provision of signalling system, guideway system and depot equipment for the expanded depot.
It was awarded to a consortium made up of Mitsubishi Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Asia Pacific.
To be delivered progressively from 2024 to 2027, the 17 new trains will replace the current fleet of 25 one-car trains. They will join the existing 16 two-carriage trains, bringing the total tally to 33.
This move will increase the passenger capacity of the network, which LTA said will "better serve residents and meet long-term public transport demand in Sengkang and Punggol towns".
The other contract is for expansion works to the Sengkang-Punggol depot, which is located above the depot for the North East Line (NEL) in Sengkang.
The $157 million civil contract was awarded to Sato Kogyo, which was previously involved in the construction of the Upper Thomson station on the Thomson-East Coast Line as well as Bencoolen, Mattar and Bedok North stations on the Downtown Line.
The work, which will start in the first quarter of this year, will involve increasing the depot's stabling capacity and create more space for maintenance facilities to support more two-carriage trains.
The expanded depot will have two new reception tracks to shorten train-launching time, and three new traction power substations to support the operation of the two-carriage trains.
When completed in 2027, the depot will have a footprint of 11.1ha, up from the current 3.5ha.
The Sengkang LRT, which opened in 2003, has 14 stations across two loops. It connects residents in the area to the town centre, Sengkang MRT station on the NEL and Sengkang Bus Interchange.
Trains on the Punggol LRT, which opened in 2005, run along two loops, serving 14 stations. It links the residential areas to Punggol MRT station on the NEL and the Punggol Bus Interchange.
In 2016, both LRT systems were upgraded from one-car to two-car operations to meet growing transport demands.
