SINGAPORE - About 75 per cent of the structural works for Singapore's largest train and bus depot have been completed, and the facility is slated to be ready in 2025.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Tuesday gave an update on the East Coast Integrated Depot in Changi, which is said to be first in the world to have three train depots and a bus depot located within one site.
Works on the depot are progressing well, said LTA, adding that concreting and architectural works are ongoing.
It said rail tracks are currently being fitted, and the installation of electrical, maintenance and system services are under way.
Construction of the four-in-one facility started in 2016 and was initially planned to be completed by 2024. This was pushed to 2025 due to delays arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The three train depots are stacked on top of one another, with the Downtown MRT Line depot underground, the one for the Thomson-East Coast Line at ground level, and the East-West Line depot on the level above.
The MRT depots are designed to operate independently, although they share facilities and systems.
The bus depot is a four-storey building located beside the multi-storey train depot complex and is within the same plot.
This four-in-one set-up saved 44ha of land - equivalent to approximately 60 football fields, said LTA.
When completed, the facility can house 220 trains from three different MRT lines and provide parking for about 760 buses.
It will have green features such as solar panels on the roof and a design that optimises natural lighting and ventilation, said LTA.
Speaking during a visit to the depot on Tuesday, Transport Minister S. Iswaran noted that Singapore currently has more than 400 trains in operation, supported by nine train depots islandwide.
"As you can imagine, the land take is significant; we need innovative solutions to manage the increasing need for such depot space as our rail system expands," he said.
Stacking the three train depots will result in significant savings "through shared foundations and columns, and common facilities and systems", Mr Iswaran added.
Most importantly, it will free up land for housing, commercial and other uses that benefit Singaporeans, he said.
