Tanah Merah MRT station

Tanah Merah MRT station is an elevated Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange station on the East West line located in Bedok, Singapore. Other than the main service for the East West line, Tanah Merah station is also the terminus for the Changi Airport branch line, a spur of the East West line.

This article is about the Singapore MRT station. For the KTM Intercity station, see Tanah Merah railway station.

 EW4   CG 
Tanah Merah
丹那美拉
தானா மேரா
Tanah Merah
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station
Exit A of Tanah Merah station
Location920 New Upper Changi Road
Singapore 467356
Coordinates1°19′38.49″N 103°56′46.84″E
Owned byLand Transport Authority
Operated bySMRT Trains Ltd (SMRT Corporation)
Line(s)
  East West Line

Platforms4 (2 island platforms)
Tracks4 (1 U/C)
ConnectionsBus, Taxi
Construction
Structure typeElevated
Platform levels1
ParkingNo
Bicycle facilitiesYes
Disabled accessYes
History
Opened4 November 1989 (1989-11-04) (Platform E & F)
25 February 2002 (2002-02-25) (Platform C & D)
Opening2024 (2024) (Platform A & B)
2040 (2040) (Thomson–East Coast line)
ElectrifiedYes
Previous namesBedok, Changi[1][2]
Services
Preceding station   Mass Rapid Transit   Following station
towards Pasir Ris
East West Line
towards Joo Koon or Tuas Link
TerminusEast West Line
Changi Airport Branch Line
Location
Tanah Merah
Tanah Merah MRT station in Singapore

Tanah Merah station is located at the boundaries of Bedok North and Bedok South planning subzones, and is built along New Upper Changi Road between the junctions of Bedok South Avenue 3/Tanah Merah Kechil Road and Tanah Merah Kechil Avenue.

Tanah Merah station is one of the only two elevated MRT stations to have more tracks than the conventional two train tracks on other stations (the other one being Ang Mo Kio). The middle track serves the train service of the Changi Airport Branch line, which terminates at Changi Airport.

Tanah Merah means 'red earth' in Malay, which is derived from the red lateritic cliffs along the coast that were once visible from the sea (most of which were leveled into the sea for land reclamation works).

Since 2017, Tanah Merah station is officially assigned the station code "CG", in addition to the station code "EW4" which the station originally had, to differentiate the operations of the main service and the Changi Airport branch line, albeit that it is not displayed on the signage of the station.

Announced on 25 May 2019, the station will be transferred over to the Thomson–East Coast line by 2040, and the Changi branch of the East West line will cease to operate.[3]

History
Passengers waiting for the Changi Airport-bound train at Tanah Merah station.
The additional platform under construction.

On 14 January 1986, the contract for building the Bedok MRT station, including the underpass and viaduct from Kembangan to Tanah Merah was awarded to RDC-Obayashi Joint Venture under Contracts 304 and 305. In addition, the contract for building the Tanah Merah MRT station and the line to Changi Depot was also awarded to Hyundai Engineering.

The station was originally not going to be open with the rest of the East West Line in between 1988 and 1989 as there were only private houses surrounding it, but increasing pressure from Members of Parliament and the public forced SMRT to open this station.[4][5] When it opened, the demand was extremely stagnant, with only private houses, Bedok South housing estates and Fengshan housing estates to cater to. The demand increased when Singapore Expo and the MRT line to Changi Airport opened.

As with most of the above-ground stations built in the past along the East West line, it was built without platform screen doors. Due to the 2010 accident, installation of the half-height screen doors at this station commenced on 10 January 2011 and operations commenced on 30 March that year. It is also the final MRT station to have the HVLS fans installed, which went operational on 5 January 2013.[6]

The addition of a new platform was announced by Land Transport Authority on 25 August 2014 to allow trains to arrive and depart at shorter intervals and an improvement in waiting times with the enhancements.[7] On 26 October 2016, the Land Transport Authority awarded the civil contract to Lum Chang Building Contractors Pte. Ltd. to build a new platform at Tanah Merah station and viaducts for a contract sum of S$325 million. In addition to the new platforms, the existing East West line tracks will be extended to connect the line to the new four-in-one East Coast Integrated Depot at Changi, as well as the new underpass to be constructed, which will be Exit C to Tanah Merah Kechil Avenue and Exit D to The Glades Condominium. In order to facilitate construction, the road at New Upper Changi Road will have to be realigned and the Katong Flower Shop was closed down.[8] When completed in 2024, it will be the second station to have triple island platforms after Jurong East.

On 25 May 2019, the Land Transport Authority announced an extension of the Thomson–East Coast line (TEL) to Changi Airport. Set to be completed by 2040, the TEL will be extended from its terminus at Sungei Bedok MRT station to serve the future Changi Airport Terminal 5, and the stretch between Tanah Merah and Changi Airport, which is currently part of the East-West line, will be transferred over to the Thomson–East Coast line.[9]

References
  1. "Name change for five MRT stations". The Business Times. 27 March 1987.
  2. Dhaliwal, Rav (27 March 1987). "Five MRT stations renamed to better reflect the locality". The Straits Times.
  3. "Land Transport Master Plan 2040: Bringing Singapore Together | Press Room | Land Transport Authority". www.lta.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 23 August 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  4. Dhaliwal, Rav (5 November 1986). "MRT Trains to Pasir Ris from Dec 16". The Straits Times.
  5. "More MRT stations". The Business Times. 6 November 1989.
  6. Wong, Siew Ying (26 January 2008). "Above-ground MRT stations to have platform screen doors by 2012". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 29 February 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  7. "New Platform at Tanah Merah MRT station for Faster Travel to Expo and Changi Airport". Land Transport Authority. 25 August 2014. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  8. "LTA Awards Civil Contract to Build A New Platform at Tanah Merah Station | Press Room | Land Transport Authority". www.lta.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  9. "Land Transport Master Plan 2040: Bringing Singapore Together | Press Room | Land Transport Authority". www.lta.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 23 August 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
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