Speech by Khaw Boon Wan - Thomson-East Coast Line (East Coast Stretch) Groundbreaking 21 July 2016

Aug 23, 2026

Speech by Mr Khaw Boon Wan at the Thomson-East Coast Line (East Coast Stretch) groundbreaking ceremony, announcing the start of construction for the East Coast stretch alongside related rail projects. The speech highlights how new MRT lines act as game changers through shorter journeys, increased ridership, and reduced reliance on private transport, while outlining TEL’s connections to other lines and its expected capacity. It also emphasizes resilience benefits, future extension assessments, and the world-first 4-in-1 depot concept.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Welcome and project overview

Related rail works and MRT network expansion

Extension of TEL to Changi Airport

Stage plans and possible future connections

TEL enhances resilience of the MRT network

Maintenance flexibility and disruption alternatives

World’s first 4-in-1 depot

EMBARGOED UNTIL AFTER DELIVERY PLEASE CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY SPEECH BY MR KHAW BOON WAN, COORDINATING MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT, AT THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY OF THE THOMSON-EAST COAST LINE (EAST COAST STRETCH), 21 JULY 2016, 9.10 AM, MARINE PARADE STATION PROJECT SITE Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, 1. Welcome to the ground-breaking of the East Coast stretch of our sixth MRT line, the Thomson-East Coast Line. This event also marks the start of works for two other major projects: the East Coast Integrated Depot, and the Downtown Line 3 Extension to Sungei Bedok. New Rail Lines are Game Changers 2. We are rapidly expanding the rail network. Last December, we opened Downtown Line 2 , or DTL2 . About 80% of public transport commuters using DTL have benefited from shorter journey times , with 15% enjoying time savings of more than 10 minutes. It is no surprise then that DTL’s ridership has tripled from 83,000 in October 2015, prior to the opening of DTL2, to 250,000 in May 2016. 3. After DTL2 , we can look forward to the Tuas West Extension, which adds four more stations to the East-West Line. This will connect the industrial areas in Tuas directly to our rail network , and will greatly benefit Singaporeans working there. 4. Next year, DTL3 will open, adding another line in the eastern part of Singapore. With that, DTL will be complete. Residents of Bedok, Tampines and other eastern towns along DTL3 will find it to be a game changer, as DTL2 residents have experienced. DTL3 will connect them to employment areas like Ubi, Kaki Bukit and Changi Business Park , and make it easier for their friends and relatives across the island to visit them. These new extensions, along with more in the pipeline, will further reduce our dependency on private transport and help realise our car-lite vision for Singapore. EMBARGOED UNTIL AFTER DELIVERY PLEASE CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY Extension of TEL to Changi Airport 5. After DTL, we can look forward to the Thomson-East Coast Line, or TEL , as well asthe DTL3 Extension. Construction for the northern Thomson stretch is in full swing. Today, we break ground for the East Coast stretch, which will serve residents in Katong, Marine Parade, and Bedok. It will link up with the Thomson stretch all the way to Woodlands North Station near Republic Polytechnic. There, the TEL will eventually interchange with the Rapid Transit System Link to Johor. At the eastern end, the TEL will also benefit from the DTL3 Extension, which will add another two stations to DTL3 and link it up with the East-West Line and TEL. This will further improve accessibility to the Changi Business Park and Expo areas. 6. When the full TEL is completed, it will be our third longest MRT line in Singapore at 43km. It will carry half a million passengers every day. It will strengthen our MRT network as the backbone of our public transport system, and make public transport a mode of choice for even more Singaporeans. 7. We had earlier announced that TEL would open in five stages, from 2019 to 2024. We are assessing the feasibility of extending TEL further. Such an extension would connect TEL to our future Changi Airport Terminal 5, as well as the existing Changi Airport MRT station serving Terminals 1 to 4. It would provide a direct connection from the airport to the city. This would benefit travellers and airport staff. We are also assessing the feasibility of bringing the Cross Island Line (CRL) to Terminal 5 and the new industrial zone serving the airport. Together, these options enable many commuters who use the MRT network to get from all parts of the island to the airport with no more than one transfer. More details will be announced after the completion of the engineering feasibility studies for the TEL and CRL. TEL Enhances Resilience of Our MRT Network 8. A more extensive rail network will enhance network resilience. Commuters will have more options to get to their de

FAQs

What other major projects are mentioned at the East Coast stretch groundbreaking?

The speech marks the start of works for the East Coast Integrated Depot and the Downtown Line 3 Extension to Sungei Bedok, alongside the Thomson-East Coast Line East Coast stretch.

How is TEL expected to improve connectivity?

TEL will connect residents around Katong, Marine Parade, and Bedok and link to the Thomson stretch up to Woodlands North Station. It will also interchange with systems serving Johor and benefit accessibility to Changi Business Park and Expo areas.

What resilience benefits does the speech attribute to TEL?

TEL’s more extensive network allows alternative MRT routes during disruptions and supports maintenance flexibility by enabling some lines to operate earlier or later while keeping most commuters covered.

Aug 23, 2026

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