Circle Line Progress On Track: LTA

Source : The Business Times, September 15, 2007

CONSTRUCTION of the Circle Line (CCL) is on track for completion from 2010 onwards, despite the run-up in costs. According to Land Transport Authority, while the project may bust its original cost, the increase is unlikely to be more than 10 per cent of the planned $6.8 billion budget.

Already, some 14 of the 29 stations along the CCL have their structures completed, while architectural, electrical and mechanical works are now in progress.

Also, reporters were told that tunnelling has been done on some 25 km of the line, with the remaining tunnelling work expected to be completed by 2008. This came as the CCL projects have been besieged by cost over-run since the Nicoll Highway collapse in 2004.

The problem was exacerbated when Indonesia banned land sand exports to Singapore early this year.

However, LTA deputy chief executive Lim Bok Ngam is satisfied that overall progress is on track for completion from 2010 even though 'in all mega projects, there will inevitably be some areas of works that are ahead of schedule and some slightly behind'.

Earlier, the government said that it would bear up to 75 per cent of construction cost increases arising from Indonesia's ban.

To date, 12 of the 40 trains for the project have arrived, and are delivered to Kim Chuan Depot. LTA has tested nine trains and they are now undergoing integration testing with other systems.