Choa Chu Kang MRT/LRT station

Choa Chu Kang MRT/LRT station is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) interchange station in Choa Chu Kang, Singapore. It is an interchange between the North South line and Bukit Panjang LRT, serving as the western terminus of the latter. The station is located between Choa Chu Kang Bus Interchange and Lot One in the Choa Chu Kang town centre.

Not to be confused with Choa Chu Kang West MRT station.
 NS4  BP1  JS1 
Choa Chu Kang
蔡厝港
சுவா சூ காங்
Choa Chu Kang
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) / Light Rail Transit (LRT) station
Exterior of Choa Chu Kang MRT/LRT station, with C151B, C151C and C801A trains departing from the station.
Location10 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4
Singapore 689810 (NSL)
15 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4
Singapore 689813 (BPLRT)
Coordinates1°23′06″N 103°44′40″E
Operated bySMRT Trains Ltd (SMRT Corporation) (North South and Bukit Panjang LRT lines)
Line(s)
  North South Line
  Bukit Panjang LRT
  Jurong Region Line
Platforms6 (2 island platforms, 2 side platforms)
Tracks4 (2 MRT, 2 LRT)
ConnectionsChoa Chu Kang Bus Interchange, Taxi
Construction
Structure typeElevated
Platform levels2
ParkingYes (Lot One)
Disabled accessYes
History
Opened10 March 1990 (1990-03-10) (Branch line)
10 February 1996 (1996-02-10) (Branch line merged with the North South line)
6 November 1999 (1999-11-06) (Bukit Panjang LRT line platforms 1 & 2)
27 December 2016 (2016-12-27) (Bukit Panjang LRT line platforms 3 & 4)
Opening2026 (2026) (Jurong Region line)
ElectrifiedYes
Previous namesBukit Panjang
Services
Preceding station   Mass Rapid Transit   Following station
towards Jurong East
North South Line
towards Jurong East
North South Line
Future service
One-way operation
Jurong Region Line
North Service
Future Service
Terminus
TerminusJurong Region Line
South Service
Future Service
Light Rail Transit
TerminusBukit Panjang LRT
Service A
towards Choa Chu Kang via Senja (clockwise / outer)
Bukit Panjang LRT
Service B
towards Choa Chu Kang via Petir (anticlockwise / inner)
Location
Choa Chu Kang
Choa Chu Kang station in Singapore

Currently, the station's LRT platform is the only station on the Bukit Panjang LRT to use a Spanish solution, and is the second rail station in Singapore to use such a configuration after VivoCity station on the Sentosa Express. It is also one of the three interchange stations on the Singapore MRT/LRT system to be fully elevated; the other two being Jurong East MRT station and Tanah Merah MRT station.

Choa Chu Kang station is proposed to become an interchange with the Jurong Region line, which is slated for completion in 2026. It will be the northern terminus of the Main Branch of the Jurong Region line.[1][2][3]

History
Exit A of Choa Chu Kang station
Choa Chu Kang MRT island platform.
Choa Chu Kang LRT island platform. A side platform, meant for alighting commuters, can be seen on the right.
Concourse of the LRT

The contract for the construction of the Bukit Panjang station was awarded to a Taiwanese-Singapore joint venture (RSEA International-Hock Lian Seng) at a contract sum of S$99.8 million in January 1986. The contract also includes the construction of the Jurong, Bukit Batok and Bukit Gombak stations and the 6-kilometre (3.7 mi) viaducts.[4] Construction began on 15 February 1986. The MRT station was opened on 10 March 1990 and was the terminus of the Branch line.[5] With the opening of the North South line Woodlands Extension on 10 February 1996, the branch line was incorporated into the North South line. The LRT station opened on 6 November 1999, alongside the rest of the Bukit Panjang LRT line.[6][7] The station was third one to have an Xchange after those in the underground Dhoby Ghaut and Raffles Place, making the station the first to have an Xchange above-ground and in a residential neighbourhood.

Since 26 August 2011, automatic platform gates were installed on the North South line platforms and commenced operation on 21 October that year. HVLS fans in the MRT platform commenced operations on 10 October 2012. The LRT platform also features fans as of 27 September 2015.[8]

New LRT Platforms (2016-present)

On 31 October 2012, LTA announced that Choa Chu Kang LRT station will have two more platforms, specifically for commuters to exit the trains to allow the existing platform in the centre to have more space to cater to boarding passengers. There will also be additional fare gates and a new covered linkway from the LRT station to Lot One. These new additions which also include widening the staircase between the MRT and the LRT stations will be completed by 2016. New Exit E was opened at the same time, to Lot One Shoppers Mall but despite that, there is no lift access, only stairs.[9] The two newly constructed platforms at the LRT station began operations on 27 December that year. The two new side platforms, platforms 3 and 4, lack lift access so passengers who needs to take the lift when alighting at Choa Chu Kang LRT station have to wait for the doors to open to the island platform (platforms 1 and 2), where lift access is available. Stickers to remind passengers to exit at platforms 1 or 2 if they need a lift to exit are placed on all the LRT doors.[10]

In 2016, platforms 1 and 2 of the LRT had half-height platform barriers installed. Choa Chu Kang (and Bukit Panjang) was the first to install half-height platform barriers due to the high commuter traffic at this station. Half-height platform barriers were installed at platforms 3 and 4 during construction.[11]

Jurong Region line Interchange (2026)

On 9 May 2018, LTA announced that Choa Chu Kang station would become a terminus for the Jurong Region line (JRL). The station will be constructed as part of Phase 1, JRL (West), consisting of 10 stations between Choa Chu Kang, Boon Lay and Tawas, and is expected to be completed in 2026.[12]

The platforms will be situated on the former site of the Choa Chu Kang Bus Interchange as well as HDB multi-storey carpark at Block 303 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4, located to the west of the current station complex. While the JRL platform will be of a typical Island platform design, an additional platform will be constructed to allow cross platform transfer between the Jurong Region line services and North South line southbound services.[13]

Contract J102 for the design and construction of Choa Chu Kang JRL station and associated viaducts, including Addition & Alteration works to the existing station complex, was awarded to Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co. (Singapore) Pte Ltd at a sum of S$465.2 million. Construction will start in 2020, with completion in 2026.[14] Contract J102 also includes the design and construction of Choa Chu Kang West station and Tengah station, and associated viaducts.[15]

Incident

On 7 April 2008, a man was hit by a train at Choa Chu Kang station at 8am. this resulted in the disruption of northbound train services from Yew Tee to Bukit Gombak for about 50 minutes. He was subsequently pronounced dead by paramedics. A bus-bridging service was deployed between Yew Tee and Bukit Gombak stations as trains were made to turn around at Yew Tee, Bukit Gombak and Choa Chu Kang stations.[16] As a precaution, automatic platform gates were subsequently installed on the North South line platforms.

References
  1. "Jurong Region Line to serve NTU, Tengah estate, Jurong Industrial Estate - CNA". 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  2. "Residents and students welcome Jurong Region Line but find it confusing". 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  3. "Jurong Region Line". 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  4. "Firm gets MRT job on seventh try". The Straits Times. 7 January 1986.
  5. "MRT to Bt Batok, Bt Gombak and Choa Chu Kang on Mar 10". The Straits Times. 14 February 1990. p. 3.
  6. "Bukit Panjang LRT to begin operating on Nov 6". The Straits Times. 26 July 1999. p. 3.
  7. "Bukit Panjang LRT right on track". The Straits Times. 5 June 1999. p. 48.
  8. hermes (9 December 2015). "LTA taps auto fare gates as way to go". The Straits Times. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  9. "Two-car train system for Sengkang & Punggol LRT - Channel NewsAsia". 3 November 2012. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  10. Lim, Adrian (23 December 2016). "New platforms at Choa Chu Kang LRT station to ease congestion". The Straits Times. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  11. hermesauto (3 October 2017). "Parliament: Safety barriers installed on Bukit Panjang LRT; to be completed on Sengkang-Punggol LRT next year". The Straits Times. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  12. "Joint News Release by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) & SLA - Jurong Region Line: Enhancing Connectivity in the West | Press Room | Land Transport Authority". 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  13. "Jurong Region Line". 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  14. "LTA Awards Civil Contracts to Construct Five Stations for the Jurong Region Line | Press Room | Land Transport Authority". 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  15. "Tender information | Land Transport Authority". 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  16. "Northbound train services disrupted due to rail incident". Channel NewsAsia. 7 April 2008.
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