IN 12 years' time, Singapore residents should be able to get to every major residential and commercial centre across the island by hopping onto an MRT train.

At a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday morning to mark the start of construction works on the $12 billion 40km Downtown Line, Land Transport Authority chairman Michael Lim said Singapore's rail network would have doubled in length to 278km by 2020, 'comprehensive enough to support access to points across the island, supporting Singapore's vision for public transport as a choice mode of travel'.

The first stage of the Downtown Line is 4.3km and will have six stations: Chinatown, Cross Street, Landmark, Bayfront, Promenade and Bugis. When this stage is ready by 2013, commuters will have quick access to developments in Marina Bay, such as the Business Financial Centre and Sands Resort. The rest of the Downtown Line will be completed by 2016.

Mr Lim noted that the Downtown Line is but one of several new rail projects rolling out in the next decade or so. Others include the Thomson Line, and extensions to the North-south and East-west lines.

Together with projects that are ongoing today - such as the Circle Line and Boon Lay Extension - Singapore has committed $40b on new MRT lines.

'Despite the high volume of infrastructure projects taking place across the island, safety is a top priority for LTA throughout the construction process,' the chairman said.

He cited LTA's safety record in the last few years.

In 2003, it lost 252 man-days per million man-hours spent on its projects.

The following year, it hit a high of 1,049 man-days lost, when a Circle Line cave-in caused Nicoll Highway to collapse, killing four workers. But since then, man-days lost had fallen to 435 and 320 in 2005 and 2006 respectively.

Last year, it dropped to a low 49 man-days.

'Safety competence and professionalism are core values LTA regards highly,' Mr Lim added.