Woh Hup awarded Woodlands station deal

SINGAPORE - The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has awarded a $144 million contract to construction firm Woh Hup to build Woodlands South station.

The station, one of 22 on the fully underground, 30km Thomson Line, will be ready in 2019.

It will serve residents in the Woodlands South area as well as students from the Singapore Sports School, Christ Church and Woodgrove secondary schools.

Work on the station is expected to start later this year.

The contractor, Woh Hup, will design and build the station.

Woh Hup has more than 80 years of experience in the construction industry, and was previously involved in several Circle Line contracts including the construction of Dhoby Ghaut, Bras Basah, Holland Village and Buona Vista stations.

The Woodlands South contract is the third deal to be awarded for the Thomson Line.

Last month, Samsung C&T Corporation won a $285 million contract to build Caldecott Station and associated tunnels. Caldecott will serve as an interchange station between the Thomson and Circle Lines.

The other contract to build tunnels between Woodlands Station and Woodlands South Station was also won last month by Shanghai Tunnel Engineering, for about $421 million.

This also involves connecting Woodlands South Station with the crossover tunnels that are adjacent to Woodlands Avenue 12. The Thomson Line will run from Woodlands to Marina Bay, and open in three stages.

Its three northernmost stations in Woodlands will be ready first in 2019, followed by the next six from Springleaf to Caldecott in 2020. The last 13 from Mount Pleasant to Gardens by the Bay will open in 2021.

When the $18 billion line is completed, commuters heading from Woodlands South to Gardens by the Bay can save 25 minutes of travelling, as a direct train ride will take only 45 minutes.

The Thomson Line will have six interchange stations to connect to all existing rail lines: Woodlands, Caldecott, Stevens, Orchard, Outram Park and Marina Bay.

It will also link with the future Eastern Region Line at Gardens by the Bay.

roysim@sph.com.sg

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