JRL1 Construction update - Q3 2021

8 September 2021 - A view of the Choa Chu Kang interchange site as seen from an MRT train.

It has been a few months since our last update and unfortunately, there has not been too much progress on the line's construction. Majority of the works are still focused on the preliminary stages of utility diversion and site preparation. At some sites, there has not been much visible progress while others show a bit more visible work. In this update we'll do our best to give an overall summary of the progress.

J102 - JS1 Choa Chu Kang

Beginning at the northern end of the line, the site for the new platforms at Choa Chu Kang station have remained as a vacated and demolished bus interchange. The visible progress since previous visits would be the commencement of load testing and the final demolition of the last piece of the concourse connecting the MRT station to the bus interchange.

8 September 2021 - A wide-angle view of Choa Chu Kang interchange station site. Pile load testing
can be seen in the midground. In the foreground, a piece of the connecting concourse previously left intact has finally been demolished.

13 May 2021 - A view of Choa Chu Kang interchange site.

J102 - JS2 Choa Chu Kang West

During our last visit in June, there was not much visible work at this site along Choa Chu Kang Avenue 3. Tree felling was mostly done with several pits sporadically dotting the area for utility relocation sighted.

22 September 2021 - A view along Choa Chu Kang Avenue 3, the site for CCK West station.
Source: Wei Kiang

26 June 2021 - A view along Choa Chu Kang Avenue 3

J102 - Tengah

During our last visit we noted the creation of a work yard just off Brickland Road in an area that was cleared in the previous months. The yard may be used for staging or pre-casting of work materials.

26 June 2021 - A work yard in the background with road accessway being
constructed.

24 January 2021 - Site clearing underway.

5 March 2017 - The green area next to Brickland Road before construction
commenced.

J103 - JS5 Corporation

The site for Corporation station is one where a big change is easily visible. To make way for the station to be constructed, a road diversion has been created, pushing Jurong West Avenue 2 onto the former green site next to the upcoming Hyundai complex.

26 June 2021 - A road diversion along Jurong West Avenue 2 can be seen in the background.

J105 - JS6 Jurong West

This site has several visible changes - road diversions, bus stop relocations & pedestrian overhead bridge removals have all been implemented here. In early September, site hoarding was also in progress while a portion of the road median towards Bahar Junction station had been hoarded up with an auger machine on site. However the machine has not been put to use yet, which is presumably to be used for the creation of foundation piles for the viaduct piers. A good comparison for the pace of works would be the demolition of the boys' home building next to the site.

8 September 2021 - Road diversion, bus stop relocation & pedestrian
overhead bridge removal had all been completed.

26 June 2021 - A view of the Jurong West station site looking towards Corporation station.

8 September 2021 - Road diversion freeing up the road median for works.

26 June 2021 - A view of the Jurong West station site looking towards Bahar Junction station.

8 September 2021 - For comparison purposes, the demolition of the Boys' Home complex is shown.
The portion of the building nearest to the drainage outlet has been demolished, which was still seen
in the photo taken on 26 June 2021.

J105 - JS7 Bahar Junction

Although under the same contract as Jurong West station, works at this location are seemingly less advanced. Most of the work seems to involve site preparation with utility diversions still underway.

26 June 2021 - A view of the road junction of Jurong West Streets 64 & 75 and Avenues 2 & 4.

26 June 2021 - A view along Jurong West Avenue 2.

14 November 2020 - An aerial view of the road junction - notably more trees are found at the site.

J106 - JS8 Boon Lay

Construction work at Boon Lay station has been underway for a while and among the phase 1 route, seems to be the site with the most visible works going on. Pile casting was underway at the station perimeter, next to the canal that parallels Jurong West Street 64. Several road diversions were implemented and bus stops along the affected stretch had been relocated.

8 September 2021 - An aerial view of Jurong West Street 64 looking north. Pile casting works were
in progress for a section next to the canal.

8 September 2021 - Circular on pile casting works

8 September 2021 - An aerial view of Jurong West Street 64 looking south.

8 September 2021 - A view of the piling works from street level.

J107 - JW1 Gek Poh

Works at Gek Poh station site were also well underway during our visit. Hoarding was going up around the site and utilities were being diverted to prepare the site for further construction. With thanks to Ms. Audrey Teo, we also understand that pile load testing is scheduled to be conducted at the site from late-September onwards.

26 June 2021 - An aerial view of Jurong West Street 75 looking south.

26 June 2021 - An aerial view of Jurong West Street 75 looking north.

26 June 2021 - Hoarding going up along Gek Poh shopping centre.

26 June 2021 - Hoarding going up around the station site perimeter.

2 September 2021 - Circular to residents on load testing activities.
Source: Ms. Audrey Teo

2 September 2021 - Circular to residents on load testing activities.
Source: Ms. Audrey Teo

J107 - JW2 Tawas

Some site clearing has been done for the station site, but apart from this there is little else that can be determined for the progress here.

26 June 2021 - Tawas station site being cleared.

In general, some work has been done at most of the phase 1 JRL station sites. However although some contracts were awarded earlier, the pace of work has slowed due to various factors, including impacts of the pandemic on work progress. Most of the work remains in the site preparation stage where utilities are being diverted. Only 1 site has commenced on any structural works at Boon Lay station. With the line being projected to commence revenue service in 2027 now, works will progress at a slower rate than previously envisioned. As time progresses, more visible works should start to appear at most sites.