Planning for the 50km Cross Island Line (CRL) will commence at the end of this year, well ahead of construction work, as contractors will have to dig deeper underground for this project, The Straits Times reported.
To be completed in 2030, the MRT line will run from Tampines to Jurong and through the estates of Hougang, Sin Ming and Clementi, as well as beneath Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and the Central Catchment Area.
Choo Chai Foong, Deputy Director for Design Development (Rail) at the Land Transportation Authority (LTA), said underground excavation works are more “challenging” as the ground’s soil profile changes every two to three metres, which may affect the pace of construction.
“As stations get deeper, we must be more careful as there will be more risks and engineering methods need to be adjusted,” she added.