Newton Clads

Cladding works to the entrance and cooling tower at the Newton station have completed. The mechanical and electrical fixtures are also about complete, and the ceiling lights of the entrance have been observed to be turned on during the day. The cooling tower has been painted with an orange strip near the roof to match the livery of the existing NSL station. In addition, the transition of doors to shutters was implemented at the NSL concourse as part of the A&A works to better improve commuter flow for the future transfer between the Downtown Line.

Photos in this update were collectively taken over February and March. With this post. the 1st Quarter updates for the Downtown Line 2 conclude.

March 16 - Completed Entrance with skylights covered

Stevens Superstructure

Upon completion of hacking of the temporary diaphragm wall, the slip road at Stevens have been permanently realigned back in Christmas last year. The remaining structure along exterior face of the entrance has been cast. M&E works are currently underway within the superstructure. The new drain culvert that will run parallel to the entrance is being formed too. Architectural works should commence around the middle of the year.

Due to the tight space constraint at the site, reinstatement works which includes the reopening of Robin Walk as well as the permanent bus bay is only expected to take place nearer to the completion of the project, in the later part of the year.

Photos in this update were taken on March 13.

Downtown Line entrance to the Stevens Station

Gardens Superstructures

The steel roof of the Botanic Gardens station entrance was assembled back in Christmas last year, shortly after the previous update. Steel L-shaped fixtures for the sheltered linkways leading from the entrance, as well as the drop off bay have also been constructed over the past month. Both ventilation building and cooling tower have been painted brown, as believed to be the station's themed livery. The cooling tower has been cladded as well.

Reinstatement works have also commenced, with the footpath alongside the future widened road constructed. The road should be widened by the 3rd quarter.

March 16 - Aerial view of the 3 completed superstructures

Little India Clads

Cladding works have been on-going at the Little India station for several months of which the architectural finishing to the entrances, in addition to the ceiling of the concourse and platform levels, have completed. The site has also undergone some reinstatement works, with a portion of the Land Transport Authority office carpark reinstated beside the entrance. Casting is on going to cover up the TSA shaft and we can expect backfilling works from the next quarter.

This is a joint update with the C921 Ssangyong FB.

Mar 13 - Completed entrance

Jan 27 - Cladding of ceiling completed with M&E installation

Rochor Realigns (2)

Another realignment of Rochor Canal Road took place this week. The Ophir-bound carraigeway has now been diverted over the completed cut and cover tunnels. This alignment is expected to hold until the completion of the future North-South Expressway.

The station is progressing well. In this night update we look at the cooling tower which has its front face cladded. The 2 entrances and ventilation building are still in the midst of its architectural finishing.

C921 Rochor worksite, March 13

Tan Kah Kee Superstructures

Reinstatement works are coming up along the boundaries of Hwa Chong Institution at the Tan Kah Kee site. The site office has been demolished, while hoardings are progressively being taken down and site clearing has commenced. Our friends under the project teams from C917A and C918A are currently under immense pressure to make up for loss time as we enter the final 12 months before the Downtown Line 2 opens. We review the progress of the numerous superstructures that have emerged on the site. 

*Our updates for Botanic Gardens, Stevens, Newton, Little India and Rochor will be posted at a later date.


1. Main Entrance/ Bridge Integration
The main entrance has successfully achieved basic structural completion. The entrance, which is constructed entirely of reinforced concrete, will be integrated with the pedestrian overhead bridge through a secondary structure which is in the process of being constructed.

February 25 - Main Entrance and Station Vent Building

Sixth Avenue Superstructures

At the Sixth Avenue site, we review the progress of the 3 superstructures on the surface. Aerial and ground pictures were taken on February 25 and March 6 respectively.

1. Main Entrance cum Cooling Tower
At present, RC works are still at the first level with a slower progression as compared to KAP. As with Little India, Stevens and King Albert Park, the station design features an integration of the cooling tower and main entrance into one combined structure due to space constraints.

Due to this integration and the former delay in progress, Sixth Avenue is currently the only station within the Downtown Line 2 yet to have its cooling unit fitted and installed. It is noteworthy that this is also the only station yet to have backfilled despite the roof slab completed.

Aerial view of C917A, Sixth Avenue

King Albert Park Soars

Significant changes have taken place at the King Albert Park site where WK and I monitor the day-to-day progress upon passing by the site. Following the reopening of Blackmore Drive, Reinforced Concrete (RC) works on the entrance's superstructure has been on-going over the last 2 months. Casting has almost reached the ceiling of the second level, where the cooling units have been delivered and fitted.

Beside it, the staircase connecting the ground level to the future POB is also completed, and columns for the exterior of the mega entrance are going up. Formwork and falsework for the POB's intermediate column along Bt Timah Rd is also evident to the eye on site.

Entrance B
Across the road, piling works for the POB landing along Dunearn Rd took place over a span of 2 weeks towards the end of January, and the foundation is believed to have since been completed. We believe superstructural works on Entrance B will commence by the end of this month upon the completion of its sister entrance further down at the Sixth Avenue site. Photos in this update were taken on February 25.

Cooling units fitted into the second level of the superstructure (seen behind the second tree to the left)

Beauty World Entrances

The steel frame segments for the roof of Entrances A and B have been installed here at Beauty World. RC works for Entrance C along Jalan Jurong Kechil are almost completed and similarly, we expect the entrance's roof to be installed by the next quarter. Reinstatement works continue above the former C&C site with the new POB beam launched up and frames for the covered linkways around the area beginning to emerge. The cooling tower has been successfully covered up with grates and is being painted. Photos in this update were taken on February 25.

Upgrading of Upper Bukit Timah Road & Jalan Anak Bukit
2 road projects - ER480 & ER487 are currently in the process of tendering. The scope of works include converting the section of Upper Bukit Timah Road between Jalan Jurong Kechil and Clementi Road into a bi-directional traffic. This would offer motorists travelling from JJK to Dunearn/Clementi a more direct route of travel in the future and alleviate existing traffic congestion above the Anak Bukit Underpass.

In addition, modifications will be made along UBTR near Hindhede Road to allow for town-bound public buses to turn right to Beauty World. Works on the road project will commence upon the opening of the DTL2.

Aerial view of Beauty World

Southbound Entrance