SINGAPORE: Land Transport Authority marked the start of construction of the Cross Island Line — Punggol Extension with a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the future Riviera station on October 10.
The 7·3 km CPE will have four stations at Punggol, Riviera, Elias (provisional name), and Pasir Ris.
‘With three out of these four stations being interchanges, CPE will become a link between the North East Line, East-West Line and the CRL main line, creating new travel options for our residents in the northeastern and eastern regions of Singapore’, said Acting Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat.
‘When the CPE opens in 2032, it will shorten travel times for more than 70 000 daily journeys between the northeast and east. Residents can travel between the towns of Punggol and Pasir Ris in just 15 min, compared to a 40 min bus ride today. Over 40 000 households in Pasir Ris and Punggol will benefit from the CPE, including the residential projects slated for completion in the coming years. The CPe will become a convenient way for residents and visitors to enjoy the amenities across this entire region, including cherished green spaces like Pasir Ris Park and Coney Island.’
As the CPE will be constructed near existing residential and industrial areas, innovative technologies and construction methods will be adopted to minimise noise, vibration and dust. This will include the use of electric excavators and battery powerpack generators.
A robotic shotcrete machine will be deployed to construct a mined section of the tunnel, improving safety and productivity while reducing reliance on manpower.
A 12·6 m diameter TBM will be used to bore the double-track tunnel between Elias and Punggol.
Virtual and augmented reality will be used to enhance the design and co-ordination process, supported by the use of building information modelling tools to co-ordinate and deconflict the locations of different services in the complex network of systems around the stations.
The stations will incorporate active energy-saving features, including solar photovoltaic panels and hybrid cooling systems using fans in tandem with air-conditioning. Low-carbon concrete will also be used for some station structures.
