PUBLISHED ONFebruary 10, 2026 4:00 AMBYSean LerWorks along a stretch of twin tunnels on the Circle Line (CCL) - between Paya Lebar and Stadium MRT stations - have reached nearly 50 per cent completion since tunnel strengthening works began on Jan 17.
The works, which necessitated the partial closure of tunnels during normal operating hours, is due to an issue known as tunnel squatting.
This refers to the phenomena that occurs when underground tunnels built in soft soil such as marine clay become deformed when the soft soil above compresses. Parts of the said train network are in soft marine clay.
AsiaOne was among the media invited to witness part of the works along a stretch of tunnel between Dakota and Paya Lebar MRT stations, where a robotic arm was working on the last of 152 inner bound rings to be installed.
According to the Land Transport Authority (LTA), more than 300 inner and outer bound rings will be installed as part of the strengthening works.
Once the steel rings have been installed, finishing works, including the application of anti-rust and fire-retardant coating will be carried out.
Saiful Rasno, director of infrastructure enhancement at LTA, said that this is the first time the robotic arm is deployed and has allowed the project team to achieve "very good" progress.
The transport regulator told AsiaOne that they aim to finish works on the inner bound by end-February, adding that close to 50 per cent of the tunnel works have been completed.
Upon completion of the inner bound rings, works will move on to the outer ring.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank commuters for their patience and understanding while we continue to work on the strengthening of the tunnel," Rasno said.
@asiaone Tunnel strengthening works along a stretch of the MRT’s Circle Line began on Jan 17. Nearly a month on, we take a look at the progress since. #sgnews #Singapore #Transport #PublicTransport #Trains #MRT #SMRT #CCL #Construction ♬ original sound - AsiaOne
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