Choa Chu Kang MRT/LRT station

Not to be confused with Choa Chu Kang West MRT station.

NS4  JS1  BP1  Choa Chu Kang 蔡厝港 சுவா சூ காங்
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) / Light Rail Transit (LRT) interchange and terminus
Exterior of Choa Chu Kang MRT/LRT station beside the JRL construction site in October 2021
General information
Location	50A Choa Chu Kang Loop Singapore 689959 (NSL) 15 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4 Singapore 689813 (BPLRT)
Coordinates	1°23′06″N103°44′40″E / 1.385092°N 103.744322°E / 1.385092; 103.744322
Operated by	SMRT Trains Ltd (SMRT Corporation) (North South and Bukit Panjang LRT lines)
Line(s)	North–South Line   Jurong Region Line   Bukit Panjang LRT
Platforms	6 (2 island platforms, 2 side platforms) + 4 (2 island platforms) (U/C)
Tracks	4 (2 MRT, 2 LRT) + 2 (U/C)
Connections	Choa Chu Kang Bus Interchange, Taxi
Construction
Structure type	Elevated
Platform levels	2
Parking	Yes (Lot One)
Accessible	Yes
History
Opened	10 March 1990;33 years ago (1990-03-10) (Branch line) 10 February 1996;27 years ago (1996-02-10) (Branch line merged with the North South line) 6 November 1999;23 years ago (1999-11-06) (Bukit Panjang LRT line platforms 1 & 2) 27 December 2016;6 years ago (2016-12-27) (Bukit Panjang LRT line platforms 3 & 4)
Opening	2027;4 years' time (2027) (Jurong Region line)
Electrified	Yes
Previous names	Bukit Panjang
Services
Preceding station Mass Rapid Transit Following station Bukit Gombak towards Jurong East North–South Line Yew Tee towards Marina South Pier Brickland towards Jurong East North–South Line Future service Terminus Jurong Region Line Future service Choa Chu Kang West towards Boon Lay Preceding station Light Rail Transit Following station Terminus Bukit Panjang LRT Service A South View towards Choa Chu Kang via  Senja Bukit Panjang LRT Service B South View towards Choa Chu Kang via  Petir
Location
Choa Chu Kang Choa Chu Kang station in Singapore

Choa Chu Kang MRT/LRT station is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) interchange station in Choa Chu Kang, Singapore. It is an interchange between the North South line and Bukit Panjang LRT, serving as the western terminus of the latter. The station is located between Choa Chu Kang Bus Interchange and Lot One in the Choa Chu Kang town centre.

Currently, the station's LRT platform is the only station on the Bukit Panjang LRT to use a Spanish solution, and is the second rail station in Singapore to use such a configuration after VivoCity station on the Sentosa Express.

Choa Chu Kang station is proposed to become an interchange with the Jurong Region line, which is slated for completion in 2027. It will be the northern terminus of the Main Branch of the Jurong Region line. Trains entering service at this station will terminate at Boon Lay via Bahar Junction. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

History

Choa Chu Kang MRT island platform.

The contract for the construction of Choa Chu Kang station was awarded to a Taiwanese-Singapore joint venture (RSEA International-Hock Lian Seng) at a contract sum of S$99.8 million in January 1986. The contract also includes the construction of the Jurong, Bukit Batok and Bukit Gombak stations and the 6-kilometre (3.7 mi) viaducts. ^[4] Construction began on 15 February 1986.^{[ citation needed ]}

The MRT station was opened on 10 March 1990 and was the terminus of the Branch line. ^[5] With the opening of the North South line Woodlands Extension on 10 February 1996, the branch line was incorporated into the North South line. The LRT station opened on 6 November 1999, alongside the rest of the Bukit Panjang LRT line. ^{[6] [7]} The station was third one to have an Xchange after those in the underground Dhoby Ghaut and Raffles Place, making the station the first to have an Xchange above-ground and in a residential neighbourhood.

Since 26 August 2011, automatic platform gates were installed on the North South line platforms and commenced operation on 21 October that year. HVLS fans in the MRT platform commenced operations on 10 October 2012. The LRT platform also features fans as of 27 September 2015. ^[8]

New LRT platforms

The LRT island platform with a side platform for alighting commuters seen on the right

On 31 October 2012, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced that Choa Chu Kang LRT station will have two more platforms, specifically for commuters to exit the trains to allow the existing platform in the centre to have more space to cater to boarding passengers. There will also be additional fare gates and a new covered linkway from the LRT station to Lot One. These new additions which also include widening the staircase between the MRT and the LRT stations were completed in 2016. New Exit E was opened at the same time, to Lot One Shoppers Mall but despite that, there is no lift access, only stairs. ^[9] The two newly constructed platforms at the LRT station began operations on 27 December that year. The two new side platforms, platforms 3 and 4, lack lift access so passengers who needs to take the lift when alighting at Choa Chu Kang LRT station have to wait for the doors to open to the island platform (platforms 1 and 2), where lift access is available. Stickers to remind passengers to exit at platforms 1 or 2 if they need a lift to exit are placed on all the LRT doors. ^[10]

In 2016, platforms 1 and 2 of the LRT had half-height platform barriers installed. Choa Chu Kang (and Bukit Panjang) was the first to install half-height platform barriers due to the high commuter traffic at this station. Half-height platform barriers were installed at platforms 3 and 4 during construction. ^[11] The half-height platform barriers are red in colour as compared to grey in colour on other parts of the line except Bukit Panjang Station. The red colour signifies the availability to transfer to the North-South Line which the line colour is red.

Jurong Region line interchange (2027)

Beginning of the JRL station construction

On 9 May 2018, LTA announced that Choa Chu Kang station would become a terminus for the Jurong Region line (JRL). The station will be constructed as part of Phase 1, JRL (West), consisting of 10 stations between Choa Chu Kang, Boon Lay and Tawas, and is expected to be completed in 2027. ^[12]

The platforms will be situated on the former site of the Choa Chu Kang Bus Interchange as well as HDB multi-storey carpark at Block 303 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4, located to the west of the current station complex. While the JRL platform will be of a typical Island platform design, an additional platform will be constructed to allow cross platform transfer between the Jurong Region line services and North South line southbound services. ^[13]

Contract J102 for the design and construction of Choa Chu Kang JRL station and associated viaducts, including Addition & Alteration works to the existing station complex, was awarded to Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co. (Singapore) Pte Ltd at a sum of S$465.2 million. Construction will start in 2020, with completion in 2027. ^[14] Contract J102 also includes the design and construction of Choa Chu Kang West station and Tengah station, and associated viaducts. ^[15]

Demolition of an adjacent multi-storey car park started in December 2020 to make way for the expansion of the station. ^[16]

Initially expected to open in 2026, the restrictions on the construction due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to delays in the JRL line completion, and the date was pushed to 2027. ^[17]

Incidents

On 7 April 2008, a man was hit by a train at Choa Chu Kang station at 8 am, resulting in the disruption of northbound train services from Yew Tee to Bukit Gombak for about 50 minutes. He was subsequently pronounced dead by paramedics. A bus-bridging service was deployed between Yew Tee and Bukit Gombak stations as trains were made to turn around at Yew Tee, Bukit Gombak and Choa Chu Kang stations. ^[18]

References

1. "Jurong Region Line to serve NTU, Tengah estate, Jurong Industrial Estate - CNA". 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
2. "Residents and students welcome Jurong Region Line but find it confusing". 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
3. "Jurong Region Line". 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
4. "Firm gets MRT job on seventh try". The Straits Times. 7 January 1986.
5. "MRT to Bt Batok, Bt Gombak and Choa Chu Kang on Mar 10". The Straits Times. 14 February 1990. p. 3.
6. "Bukit Panjang LRT to begin operating on Nov 6". The Straits Times. 26 July 1999. p. 3.
7. "Bukit Panjang LRT right on track". The Straits Times. 5 June 1999. p. 48.
8. hermes (9 December 2015). "LTA taps auto fare gates as way to go". The Straits Times. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
9. "Two-car train system for Sengkang & Punggol LRT - Channel NewsAsia". 3 November 2012. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
10. Lim, Adrian (23 December 2016). "New platforms at Choa Chu Kang LRT station to ease congestion". The Straits Times. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
11. hermesauto (3 October 2017). "Parliament: Safety barriers installed on Bukit Panjang LRT; to be completed on Sengkang-Punggol LRT next year". The Straits Times. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
12. "Joint News Release by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) & SLA - Jurong Region Line: Enhancing Connectivity in the West | Press Room | Land Transport Authority". 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
13. "Jurong Region Line". 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
14. "LTA Awards Civil Contracts to Construct Five Stations for the Jurong Region Line | Press Room | Land Transport Authority". 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
15. "Tender information | Land Transport Authority". 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
16. Seng, Sabrina (9 December 2020). "Choa Chu Kang Block Demolished For New MRT Line, Residents Bid Farewell To Duck Rice & Old-School Stores". Must Share News. Archived from the original on 10 December 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
17. "Written Reply by Minister for Transport Ong Ye Kung to Parliamentary Question on Prioritising Early Completion of Jurong Region MRT Line". www.mot.gov.sg. 1 February 2021. Archived from the original on 19 February 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
18. "Northbound train services disrupted due to rail incident". Channel NewsAsia. 7 April 2008. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 3 September 2017.

External links

• Official website
• Media related to Choa Chu Kang MRT/LRT Station at Wikimedia Commons