Complex works, tough terrain: Building Jurong Region Line no easy task
Singapore is nearing the completion of the Jurong Region Line, the country's seventh MRT line and its first to be built entirely above ground. The project involves complex construction in dense urban areas and aims to improve connectivity in the western region.
Why it matters
The infrastructure project represents a significant investment in urban mobility and regional development for Singapore's growing population.
SINGAPORE – For years, motorists driving on the PIE watched large concrete columns rising near the highway as the groundwork was laid for the new Jurong Region Line (JRL).
Trains will start running in about two years on what will be the country’s seventh MRT line, but getting the viaducts built was no simple task.
It meant construction crews working in the dead of night in four-hour blocks, when traffic becomes light and roads can be closed.
The 24km JRL is the first MRT line to be built entirely above ground. The North-South and East-West lines have a mix of above-ground and underground sections.
The JRL was unveiled in the 2013 Land Transport Master Plan, when plans were taking shape to transform the western region with new homes and employment centres. It was first announced in 2001 as a light rail system.
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