SINGAPORE - Up to five stations between Admiralty and Yio Chu Kang MRT stations will be closed for three days during the Vesak Day long weekend (May 18-20) to facilitate the construction of a crossover track at the upcoming Canberra station.
The leftmost lane of Canberra Link Road, heading in the direction of Sembawang MRT station, will also be closed between May 17 and May 20 as part of the works.
The 72m crossover track, which will be built between Sembawang and the new Canberra station, will allow trains on the North-South Line to cross from one track to another, thereby increasing the resilience of the line, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a statement on Monday (April 8).
"For example, if the northbound track is faulty, affected trains can use the crossover to bypass the faulty stretch by travelling on the southbound track," said the LTA.
Admiralty and Sembawang stations will be closed on May 18 and 19, while five stations between Admiralty and Yio Chu Kang will be closed on May 20.
Work will go round-the-clock for 72 hours during the three days, and shuttle buses will be deployed between affected stations during the construction period.
An express bus from Woodlands to the Bukit Panjang Downtown Line MRT station will operate during the three days.
The LTA said that 75 per cent of construction works at Canberra station have been completed, and the new station is expected to open by the end of this year. Works at Canberra station, which include the crossover track, will cost around $90 million.
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With the completion of the new crossover track, there will be more than 50 stations on the North-South and East-West lines.
There are no other crossover tracks planned for existing lines.
Canberra is the second MRT station in Singapore to be built on an existing rail line. The first was Dover station on the East-West Line, which opened in 2001.
The LTA said Canberra station is also designed with five entrances, which will facilitate better commuter movement and enhance accessibility.
It will also have covered linkways to bus stops and bicycle parks.
This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.