A new platform will be added to the Tanah Merah station to give commuters traveling towards Expo and Changi Airport shorter waiting times and a more comfortable journey starting 2024.
Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Wednesday (26 Oct), a contract to build a new platform at the Tanah Merah MRT station, worth of S$325 million, has been awarded to Lum Chang Building Contractors, a local Singapore firm.
Construction works are scheduled to start by the end of this year, to be fully completed in 2024.
At the present, the middle track at Tanah Merah interchange station is used for trains traveling in both directions between Tanah Merah and Changi Airport stations. With a third platform, there will be two tracks for the East-West Line and another two, heading to and from Changi Airport.
This will allow trains to arrive and depart at the station at shorter intervals, reducing waiting times and enabling faster travel to Expo and Changi Airport stations.
Layout of New Platform at Tanah Merah Station (EW4)
LTA said, it will work with the contractors to implement dust and noise control measures on site during the construction phase.
Noise barriers and privacy screens will also be installed along the new viaduct to mitigate the impact on residents living close to the station.
LTA stated that it will also work closely with all stakeholders to minimise disruptions and inconvenience.
Together with the construction of a new platform, existing MRT tracks will also be extended to connect to the new four-in-one depot at Changi, which will house trains from the East-West Line, Downtown Line and Thomson-East Coast Line, as well as a bus depot.
This will be the second MRT station in Singapore to have tracks added to its original configuration, the first station was Jurong East interchange station, where an additional platform was constructed and track layout was modified in 2011.
Adding a platform and constructing tracks on an operational line is challenging as working hours and work space are limited for construction activities. Nevertheless, the safety of MRT operations and site security will remain of paramount importance.