Train depot
In early 2009, as works for the DTL's trains were underway, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) shifted its attention to Gali Batu Depot, which would store said trains. By March, the LTA had selected two companies to work on the depot; GS Engineering and Construction Corp and Hock Lian Seng.
Prior to construction, nearly 2,000 graves from the Kwong Hou Sua Cemetery had to be exhumed due to the depot's proximity. Exhumation was expected to start in March and finish by June. [4] Construction of the depot began in late 2009. During construction, 3,900,000 cubic metres (140,000,000 cu ft) of dirt was dug out. By February 2015, The Straits Times reported that the depot was in its final stage and was to be passed to its operator by the end of the year. [6] Although Stage 1 of the DTL was opened in December 2013, operations of the line were being conducted from Kim Chuan Depot as Gali Batu was not ready yet; it would only be ready around October 2015. The transfer of operations from Kim Chuan to Gali Batu was conducted within three hours to avoid disrupting operations in the DTL, with migration tests conducted on three nights every week for six months prior to the transfer. In December 2017, the depot started operations along with stations in Stage 2 of the DTL. Prior to the opening, several religious leaders from the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) jointly blessed the depot. [8]
In February 2015, the LTA announced that the capacity of the depot would be expanded to stable 81 trains by 2019. A S$ 137.4 million (2015)( US$ 99.94 million) contract was handed out in January 2015, with an expectation that it would be completed by November 2019. [9] In October 2019, it was announced that signalling simulation centres would be installed in Gali Batu by Siemens after Thales set up a similar facility in Bishan Depot, which stemmed from the Joo Koon rail accident. [10] It was installed progressively from the end of 2019 to the expected completion date at the end of 2020. [11]
