The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has awarded the civil contract for the design and construction of Ang Mo Kio station and tunnels under the first phase of the Cross Island Line (CRL1) to Gammon Construction and Engineering Pte. Ltd – Bachy Soletanche Singapore Pte. Ltd. Joint Venture. Valued at $644 million, the contract will also cover addition and alteration (A&A) works to the existing Ang Mo Kio station along the North-South Line (NSL). When completed, Ang Mo Kio station will be an interchange between CRL and NSL.

Gammon Construction and Engineering Pte. Ltd has a strong track record of undertaking infrastructure and building projects locally and abroad. It was previously involved in the construction of Chinatown station along Downtown Line and is currently involved in the construction of Havelock station and Mayflower station along the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL).

Bachy Soletanche Singapore Pte. Ltd, a specialist in geotechnical and civil engineering, is currently involved in the design and construction of the tunnel between Suffolk Walk and Novena Rise for the North-South Corridor. It is also involved in TEL projects such as Tanjong Rhu, Gardens by the Bay and Orchard stations.

Construction works for the CRL1 Ang Mo Kio station are expected to start in the fourth quarter of this year, with passenger service slated for 2030.

Engineering Highlights

CRL1 Ang Mo Kio station is an underground station located adjacent to the busy junction of Ang Mo Kio Ave 3 and Ang Mo Kio Ave 8. As it will be located close to the NSL viaduct and surrounding structures, LTA and the contractor will closely monitor the project’s progress and ensure that all works are carried out safely, with minimal impact to existing structures.

Deep excavation works for CRL1 Ang Mo Kio station will be carried out under challenging ground conditions, as the rock is typically weaker at the transition point between the Old Alluvium (predominantly soil-like material) to Bukit Timah Granite formation. This requires the use of specially-designed machinery to carry out the excavation works safely.

When completed, the station will have entrances that connect directly to different residential blocks, AMK Hub, Ang Mo Kio Integrated Transport Hub and Ang Mo Kio Town Garden East. Two of the new entrances will be connected to the station via underpasses across Ang Mo Kio Avenues 3 and 8 (see Figure 1). To ensure smooth traffic flow on the roads, these underpasses will be constructed using a “pipe-roofing and mining” method, where a box structure made of pipes will support the ground while mining works are carried out beneath the surface of the road. This method minimises disturbance to the surrounding roads, buildings and underground services, as compared to the more traditional method of open cut excavation from the ground surface.

To facilitate seamless transfer and enhance connectivity for commuters at the station, A&A works will be carried out to retrofit the existing NSL Ang Mo Kio station with additional escalators and reconfiguring of its concourse area. To minimise inconvenience to commuters, LTA will plan and coordinate closely with SMRT to carry out majority of the A&A works during non-operating hours.

The CRL is Singapore’s eighth MRT line. It will serve existing and future developments in the eastern, north-eastern and western corridors, linking major hubs such as Jurong Lake District, Punggol Digital District and Changi region. The CRL will have almost half of its stations as interchanges with other rail lines, making it easier and more convenient for commuters to travel across the rail network.

CRL1 is 29 kilometres long and comprises 12 stations from Aviation Park to Bright Hill[1]. This will serve residential and industrial areas in Loyang, Tampines, Pasir Ris, Defu, Hougang, Serangoon North and Ang Mo Kio and benefit more than 100,000 households. With CRL1, common recreational spaces such as Changi Beach Park and Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park will be more accessible by public transport. Studies on the details of subsequent CRL phases are ongoing.