Bidadari, Singapore

This article is about the planned housing estate located in Toa Payoh. For the former cemetery located here, see Bidadari Cemetery.

Bidadari
Subzone of Toa Payoh Planning Area
Other transcription(s)
•  Chinese	比达达利 (Simplified) 比達達利 (Traditional)
•  Malay	Bidadari (Rumi) بيداداري‎ (Jawi)
•  Tamil	பிடாடாரி
HDB flats in Bidadari
Coordinates: 1°20′15″N103°52′21″E / 1.33750°N 103.87250°E / 1.33750; 103.87250
City	Singapore
Region	Central Region
Planning Area	Toa Payoh
Area [1]
• Total	0.57 km2 (0.22 sq mi)
Population  (2025) [2]
• Total	9,120
• Density	16,000/km2 (41,000/sq mi)

Bidadari is a housing estate and a subzone of Toa Payoh planning area, in the Central Region of Singapore.

The housing estate is situated at the site of the former Bidadari Cemetery, which served Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Sinhalese communities. ^[3]

Etymology

The word bidadari means "angel" in Malay, which was in turn derived as a loanword from the Sanskrit word vidhya dhari. The bidadari are depicted as angels that preside over the union of flowers. ^[4]

History

19th century: Estates and palace

During the early 19th century, a 45-acre of estate land in Singapore was first acquired by the British civil engineer Henry Minchin Simons in 1855, and there he had the house built between 1855 and 1861 and would later exchange the estate with William Napier for his Tyersall estate. The estate was subsequently sold to Temenggong Abu Bakar in the mid-1860s. He gave it to his second wife, a Danish woman Zubaidah binti Abdullah who was born Cecilia Catharina Lange, for her residence. Thus the estate and house was known as Bidadari and Istana Bidadari in reference to the beauty of the Temenggong's wife. ^{[5] [6]}

Soon after Abu Bakar was proclaimed the Sultan of Johor in 1885, Sultana Zubaidah moved to Johor. The palace itself was rented out to various parties until 1902 and later its demolition in 1915.

1908–1996: Cemetery

In 1902, plans were made to develop a Christian Cemetery. The Municipal Government acquired the land in 1904 and Bidadari Cemetery was officially opened in 1908. Later on, the Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist burial sections were added. The cemetery continued to accept burials till 1972. In 1996, the government announced that the site of the Bidadari Cemetery had been earmarked for development.

2013–present: Redevelopment into residential estate

In 2013, HDB announced plans for a housing estate at the site of the former Bidadari Cemetery. Residential developments are currently underway. Upper Aljunied Road has been realigned, and three new roads (Bidadari Park Drive, Alkaff Crescent, Woodleigh Link) have been constructed to serve the upcoming estate. The first flats in Bidadari were completed in 2021 ^[7] and The Woodleigh mall, a mixed-use development, opened in May 2023. ^[8] The integrated transport hub with the hawker centre was opened in April 2025. ^[9] The interchange is located underneath Woodleigh Village BTO project, which also consists of a hawker centre. Together with Woodleigh MRT station and The Woodleigh Mall, it is part of the Woodleigh Integrated Transport Hub.

Infrastructure and amenities

Public Transportation

Mass Rapid Transit (MRT)

There are two main MRT stations serving Bidadari, as part of the Circle Line and North East Line.

•  CC12  Bartley (at the east)
•  NE11  Woodleigh (at the west)

Bartley MRT station serves residents in the eastern part of the estate, while Woodleigh MRT station serves residents in the western part of the estate.

Bus

Woodleigh Bus Interchange is an underground bus interchange that serves Bidadari estate and was initially expected to be ready by 2021 but was delayed due to engineering challenges. It opened on 20 April 2025. ^[9]

Shopping centres

Currently the only shopping mall in the estate is The Woodleigh Mall, opened in May 2023. It is directly connected to Woodleigh MRT station, the hawker centre and The Woodleigh Residences condominium.

Parks

Bidadari Park is an 10-hectare park located in the heart of the estate, opened in September 2024. ^[10] Features of the park includes a lake, The Alkaff Lake and a heritage walk which replaces the former Upper Aljunied Road that has been expunged after the realignment. There is also an overhead bridge connecting to The Woodleigh Mall and Woodleigh station.

Schools

There is two primary school and three secondary school in Bidadari.

Primary schools

• Cedar Primary School
• Maris Stella High School (Primary Section)

Secondary schools

• Bartley Secondary School
• Cedar Girls Secondary School
• Maris Stella High School (Secondary Section)

There is only one international school in Bidadari.

• Stamford American International School (University Section)

References

1. "Singapore: Subdivision (Planning Areas and Subzones) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map". www.citypopulation.de. Archived from the original on 23 May 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
2. "Singapore Residents by Planning Area / Subzone, Age Group, Sex and Type of Dwelling, June 2025". Department of Statistics Singapore. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
3. Tan, Rachel (1 September 2013). "Singaporeans unfazed by Bidadari's cemetery past for planned HDB estate". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
4. Savage, Victor R.; Yeoh, Brenda (2013). Singapore Street Names: A Study of Toponymics. Marshall Cavendish Editions.
5. Justice, Kamal Abu Serah-Seeking (8 September 2013). "The Last Kampung Mosque in Singapore: Bidadari Cemetery where late Ahmad Ibrahim was first buried. Pictures taken on 28 May 2002 and 4 August 2003". Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
6. Singapore, Remember (21 February 2012). "A Forgotten Past – The Last Royal Palace of Singapore". Archived from the original on 13 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
7. "First 3 Bidadari BTO projects from 2015 launch completed". mothership.sg. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
8. "New 3-storey Woodleigh Mall has 24-hour Fairprice Finest, cafés & more". mothership.sg. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
9. Liew, Isabelle (25 February 2024). "Underground bus interchange in Bidadari to be completed by end-2024 after three-year delay". The Straits Times. ISSN   0585-3923 . Retrieved 25 February 2024.
10. Koh, Wan Ting (3 September 2024). "New Bidadari Park inspired by Winnie the Pooh forest, features recreational lake, trails and treehouse playground". CNA . Archived from the original on 7 October 2025. Retrieved 13 October 2025.