LTA Calls Tender to Assess Environmental Impacts for Cross Island Line

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) called for a tender yesterday for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of a portion of the Cross Island Line (CRL). According to the official press release from LTA’s home page, “the Government has worked with nature and environmental groups to finalise the scope of the EIA” to be around the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR).
Working with stakeholders

It was stated that LTA has been co-operating with residents and nature groups over the past 8 months to deal with their worries on the building of the CRL as to how it might adversely affect the reserve with the construction of the line. The nature groups put together a working group report that will be viewed in conjunction with an earlier position paper by Nature Society Singapore (NSS) to help find out how the different “possible alignment options could affect the CCNR”. An EIA consultant will start working by the second half of 2014.
Two Phases of the EIA

The EIA will be conducted in 2 phases to study the impacts of the two alignment options.
Phase 1 will involve the consultant doing an initial examination of the current ecosystem and physical conditions along the suggested corridors and a further judgment as to the potential impacts to the environment. In addition, the consultant will also offer mitigation methods to undergo the soil analysis works with little impact to the Reserve.
Phase 2 will involve the consultant giving an evaluation of the impact that may be a consequence to the building and establishment of the project.
The EIA is expected to be finished in 2 years. Meanwhile, it was also said that the Government will not only take into consideration the EIA but also issues on connectivity, travel times, costs and landuse compatibility as well.

The Cross Island Line (CRL)
The CRL is a 50km long new train line announced a year ago in January as part of Singapore’s aim to “improve the connectivity, accessibility and coverage of the rail network” to support Singapore’s potential growth in the future. The CRL is targeted to be completed by 2030.
Cover Photo taken from Nature Society Singapore