J102 (Part 2) - Forest Hill & Tengah update Q2 2024

The future infill station and the approach tracks to Tengah station under contract J102 as seen
in end-Q2.

Last week we covered the first update for contract J102 over the second quarter of the year. This week, we're continuing our update with the remaining 2 stations under the contract - the future infill station just inside Tengah that we're calling Forest Hill and Tengah station, located at what will become the future town centre. As we learnt last week, a lot has happened within contract J102 over the past quarter. Works have been progressing at a frenzied pace, with viaducts within Tengah taking shape - more so than those within Choa Chu Kang. The station buildings are also substantially completed to the platform levels, although Forest Hill's structure is a very basic frame. In this update, we take a closer look at the goings-on around the two station locations.

J102 (Part 1) - Choa Chu Kang & Choa Chu Kang West update Q2 2024

 

24 June 2024 - A view of Choa Chu Kang & Choa Chu Kang West stations under contract J102
as of end-Q2.

A lot has taken place in Q2 for contract J102. With 4 stations being built under the contract, we had to split this update into 2 parts to make it more bite-sized and not an overload of information or more of a huge photo dump than it already is. Progress has been swift and moving full steam ahead as the changes to the sites can be seen with every visit. Nonetheless, it will still take some time before the Jurong Region Line (JRL) sections under this contract can achieve basic structural completion.

JRL - A snapshot in July 2024

Overview of JRL stations JS1 - JS8 as of July 2024.
Top (L - R): JS1 - Choa Chu Kang, JS2 - Choa Chu Kang West, JS2A - Forest Hill
Middle (L - R): JS3 - Tengah, JS4 - Hong Kah, JS5 - Corporation
Bottom (L - R): JS6 - Jurong West, JS7 - Bahar Junction, JS8 - Boon Lay

Overview of JRL stations JW1 - JW2 & JE1 - JE7 as of July 2024.
Top (L - R): JW1 - Gek Poh, JW2 - Tawas, JE1 - Tengah Plantation
Middle (L - R): JE2 - Tengah Park, JE3 - Bukit Batok West, JE4 - Toh Guan
Bottom (L - R): JE5 - Jurong East, JE6 - Jurong Town Hall, JE7 - Pandan Reservoir

Overview of JRL stations JW3 - JW5 & JS9 - JS12 as of July 2024.
Top (L - R): JS9 – Enterprise, JS10 – Tukang, JS11 – Jurong HillJW3 - Nanyang Gateway
Middle (L - R): JS12 – Jurong Pier, JW3 – Nanyang Crescent, JW4 – Nanyang Gateway 
Bottom (L - R): JW5 – Peng Kang Hill, Contract J101 Tengah depot, Contract J120 Jurong East ITH

The various contracts along this phase are rushing to have the civil works completed in order to meet the targeted completion date. We understand that the targeted completion of works for Phase 1 would be around end-2026. In order to allow for sufficient time for fitting out and testing of systems, the basic structures would need to be completed approximately 2 to 2.5 years ahead. Given that this will be the first section of line to begin operations, further time may be required for testing of the new equipment to ensure that all issues are ironed out sufficiently.

Meanwhile, Phase 2 has a targeted completion date of mid-2027. Bringing up the remainder of the line, the targeted completion date for Phase 3 of the line is by September 2028. As such, the contractors for Phase 1 should begin feeling the pressure to meet the deadlines for handover of the completed structures to the trackworks contractors for the next phase of construction.

J101 - Tengah depot update Q2 2024

 

2 June 2024 - An aerial view of the Tengah depot in end-Q2.

Bit by bit, the Tengah depot - home of the Jurong Region Line (JRL)'s trains and operations, is inching towards a semblance of completion. The depot is one of the keys to enabling the line to function and be commissioned. Without the depot, it becomes a tremendous task to ensure that all the line's systems are able to integrate and function collectively as the line is commissioned ahead of opening. In the months prior to the line's opening, testing of the rolling stock (trains) will need to be done within the depot. This process requires the stabling shed, workshops, test tracks and operations control centre to be ready.

At present, none of these buildings are in a state ready to receive any units of the rolling stock. There are no paved roads within the compound to facilitate the delivery of the rolling stock either. Based on how the site looks, the stabling yards may be the first buildings to be ready for the delivery of the rolling stock. In this post, we'll take a deeper look at the progress made at the depot over the past quarter and size up what needs to be done to get it in basic shape for rolling stock delivery to happen.

JRL - A snapshot in June 2024

Overview of JRL stations JS1 - JS8 as of June 2024.
Top (L - R): JS1 - Choa Chu Kang, JS2 - Choa Chu Kang West, JS2A - Forest Hill
Middle (L - R): JS3 - Tengah, JS4 - Hong Kah, JS5 - Corporation
Bottom (L - R): JS6 - Jurong West, JS7 - Bahar Junction, JS8 - Boon Lay

Overview of JRL stations JW1 - JW2 & JE1 - JE7 as of June 2024.
Top (L - R): JW1 - Gek Poh, JW2 - Tawas, JE1 - Tengah Plantation
Middle (L - R): JE2 - Tengah Park, JE3 - Bukit Batok West, JE4 - Toh Guan
Bottom (L - R): JE5 - Jurong East, JE6 - Jurong Town Hall, JE7 - Pandan Reservoir

Overview of JRL stations JW3 - JW5 & JS9 - JS12 as of June 2024.
Top (L - R): JS9 – Enterprise, JS10 – Tukang, JS11 – Jurong HillJW3 - Nanyang Gateway
Middle (L - R): JS12 – Jurong Pier, JW3 – Nanyang Crescent, JW4 – Nanyang Gateway 
Bottom (L - R): JW5 – Peng Kang Hill, Contract J101 Tengah depot, Contract J120 Jurong East ITH

We are quickly approaching the mid-point of the year. The progress along the Jurong Region Line (JRL) is also beginning to pick up the pace further. This snapshot feature brings you a quick update on the progress made over the past month across the JRL.

J102 - A deep dive into Choa Chu Kang's modifications

Graphical representation of the existing Choa Chu Kang North-South Line station concourse and
transfer mezzanine level before the Jurong Region Line expansion.

Graphical representation of the Choa Chu Kang station concourse & transfer mezzanine levels
after modification works for the Jurong Region Line.

There has been a lot of work going on at Choa Chu Kang station ahead of the Jurong Region Line (JRL)'s arrival in 2027. All these works will serve to allow the station to increase its capacity for handling commuter traffic. What are the works taking place and how will these help to increase the station's capacity you may ask? We're here to break it down so that you'll be able to better understand the ongoing works.

Modification works at Choa Chu Kang station entail the following:

• Demolition of former Exit D & using this area for an expanded concourse fare paid area linking the North-South Line (NSL) & JRL
• Construction of a second lift to serve the existing NSL platform
• Addition of new mezzanine level on the northern side of the station to facilitate transfers between NSL & JRL
• Demolition, replacement & reconfiguration of existing escalators & staircases connecting NSL concourse & platform levels
• Expansion of existing mezzanine level on southern side of the station to facilitate transfers between NSL, JRL & BPLRT
• Reconfiguration of existing fare gate layout from one fare line to 3 fare lines
• Reconfiguration of circulation spaces within fare paid & fare unpaid areas of the NSL station concourse
• Reconfiguration of retail outlets within NSL station
• Relocation of passenger service centre for NSL station

J113 & J115A - Nanyang Gateway, Nanyang Crescent & Peng Kang Hill update Q1 2024

A view of the 3 NTU stations part of the JRL's phase 3 northern section as at end-Q1 2024.

To complete our Q1 updates of the Jurong Region Line (JRL), we're at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) where the line's northern section of phase 3 is located. Consisting of 2 contracts covering 3 stations, this section was awarded entirely to Hwa Seng Builders, greatly simplifying the works required by using only a single contractor for the entirety of the works. Equipment can be shared and the contractor can better control construction traffic entering & exiting the university.