SINGAPORE, May 9 — At 24km long, with 24 stations, the Republic’s seventh MRT line, Jurong Region Line (JRL), will open in three phases from 2026.
Slated to commence operations the year the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail is scheduled for completion, the JRL will connect the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Pandan Reservoir and Tengah area to the existing Choa Chu Kang and Boon Lay stations.
Set to improve connectivity in the western part of Singapore that currently are not served by rail, the new stations at Choa Chu Kang, Boon Lay and Jurong areas are expected to add more than 60,000 additional households within a 10-minute walk from a train station.
Unveiling the JRL alignment during a work site visit to the upcoming Canberra station on the North-South Line (NSL) this morning, Transport Minister and Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure Khaw Boon Wan called the new line “a quantum leap” for Jurong’s transport infrastructure.
The new line, which will run above ground, together with the upcoming KL-Singapore High Speed Rail, will give commuters “convenient connections not just within western Singapore, but also to Malaysia”, he said, complementing the development of the Jurong Lake District into the “largest commercial hub” outside the Central Business District, alongside development of the new Jurong Innovation District into the “next generation industrial estate”.
“When all these plans come together, Jurong will be a waterfront business hub nestled in greenery, served by good public transport connections, as well as amenities to support active mobility … This is our vision for Jurong,” Khaw added.
While the JRL improves the area’s connectivity, the minister noted that it will also bring “resilience” to the entire MRT network.
This is as commuters will have more choices when any of the two main lines, North-South Line or East-West Line (EWL), breaks down, since the JRL is connected to both Choa Chu Kang and Boon Lay.
“This will help to also distribute and relieve train loading between Choa Chu Kang and Jurong East stations, so that commuters can enjoy more comfortable rides,” he added.
The Jurong area is currently connected by roads via the Pan Island Expressway and the Ayer Rajah Expressway. By train, the area is served by Lakeside, Boon Lay, and Jurong East stations, as well as Joo Koon and Tuas stations, which came into service in 2009 and 2017 respectively as extensions to the EWL.
On Wednesday, Khaw also separately announced that Canberra Station, the new MRT stop between Sembawang and Yishun stations on the NSL, is expected to open for service by December next year, “hopefully before Christmas”.
The construction of the station located along Canberra Link in Sembawang is on track to be completed for testing and commissioning in October next year.
Works commenced in early 2016, and to date, the station is 55 per cent completed, with more than 1.3 million man hours put in.
Canberra Station is the second station to be integrated onto an operational MRT line, with EWL’s Dover station being the first.
Its addition will also put 17,000 more households within a 10-minute walk of a train station, putting the Ministry of Transport closer on its goal to bring eight in 10 households within that radius by 2030. — TODAY
