Downtown Line: Work On 1st Stage To Start This Year

Source : The Straits Times, Aug 3, 2007

3 firms awarded contracts worth $500m in total

WORK on the new $12 billion Downtown Line (DTL) is set to begin later this year with the award of contracts worth nearly $500 million to three construction firms.

The three companies - Shimizu, Gammon and a Samsung-Soletanche Bachy joint venture - will begin excavation and structural work on the first stage of the DTL in the last quarter of this year.

The contracts were awarded on Wednesday after a tender process that lasted between four and seven months.

The 4.3km-long first stage of the DTL, slated for completion in six years, will connect Bugis station on the East-West Line to Chinatown station on the North-East Line (NEL).

The line will comprise six stations: Bugis, Promenade, Bayfront, Landmark, Cross Street and Chinatown.

When up and running in 2013, it will be a key link to new developments such as the Marina Bay Financial Centre and the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort (IR).

All the three firms awarded contracts for the first stage of the DTL have extensive experience in large-scale projects in Singapore, the Land Transport Authority said in a statement.

Japanese construction giant Shimizu, for example, was involved in the construction of Outram Park station on the NEL and is currently working on the Fusionopolis project.

For the DTL project, Shimizu has been awarded a $102.8 million contract to design and build tunnels between the Promenade station, Marina Bay and the IR development, among others.

The second contract worth $224.9 million, to design and build Cross Street station, has been awarded to the Samsung-Soletanche Bachy joint venture.

Korean conglomerate Samsung is involved in several big construction projects, such as the 12 km-long Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway while French firm Soletanche Bachy is working on the Marina Bay Sands IR and the iconic Orchard Turn development.

The joint venture's latest contract will involve the construction of a temporary two-lane viaduct along Cross Street from Central Boulevard to keep traffic in the area flowing smoothly as building works go on.

The third contract, awarded to Hong Kong-based Gammon Construction and worth $160.3 million, will be to design and build the DTL's Chinatown station and the tunnels connected to it.

Gammon was the main contractor for the Chinatown station on the NEL. Its other projects in Singapore include the Bukit Panjang LRT and, currently, track works for the Boon Lay Extension.