A US$326m contract for the design and construction of King Albert Park station and a $374m deal for Clementi station were both awarded to China Communications, which is undertaking the second scheme as part of a joint venture with Sinohydro.

LRT commented in a press release that China Communications had an extensive record of delivering design-and-build construction projects.

It has already won a number of elements of Singapore’s developing mass transit systems, including stations at Tampines North, Boon Lay, and Johor Bahru, as well as viaducts and tunnels. It is also involved in the construction of the Jurong East Integrated Transport Hub.

For its part, Sinohydro built Napier station on the Thomson-East Coast Line and is involved in Pasir Ris East station.

Work on the first phase of the line began in January. This will take around seven years, will cover 29km and will have 12 stations from Aviation Park to Bright Hill.

Construction work for the CRL King Albert Park and CRL Clementi stations is expected to begin in the first quarter of next year, with another four to follow. If all goes according to the schedule, CRL Phase 2 will enter service in 2032.

The CRL is Singapore’s eighth metro line. It will be 50km long, and will serve developments in the island’s eastern, northeastern and western corridors, linking hubs such as Jurong Lake District, Punggol Digital District, and Changi.

Almost half of all CRL stations will be interchanges with other rail lines, making it easier and more convenient for commuters to travel across the rail network. CRL is expected to be used by 600,000 passengers a day after the first phase opens, increasing to more than 1 million when the entire line is finished.