Construction for CRL-Punggol Extension is now underway

Good news for the East-siders and North-East siders as construction for the Cross Island Line - Punggol Extension (CPe) commences. The CPe, which will comprise four stations - namely Punggol, Riviera, Elias, and Pasir Ris - will bring better rail connectivity and greater accessibility to more than 40,000 households. It will also connect up-and-coming growth areas such as the Punggol Digital District and Changi Aviation Park directly to the rail network. 

Of the four, three stations will serve as interchanges with other rail lines. For instance, the CPe will interface with the main Cross Island Line (CRL) at Pasir Ris station. 

With the CPe, commuters can get from Punggol to Pasir Ris (and vice versa) in less than 15 minutes

The time savings that the CPe will enable are considerably significant. When the rail extension is up, commutes between Punggol and Pasir Ris will be shortened to a maximum of 15 minutes. This is an improvement from the current 40 minutes by bus, the only direct mode of public transport connecting the two estates. Commuters can also look forward to halving their travelling time from Punggol North to the Loyang Industrial Area with a 20-minute train ride.

As part of ongoing efforts to build a greener and more sustainable land transport network in Singapore, CPe stations will incorporate active energy-saving features, including solar photovoltaic panels at the entrances and hybrid cooling systems for public areas. The hybrid system uses fans in tandem with air-conditioning to keep stations at a comfortable temperature while reducing overall energy consumption.

The CPe is expected to open for passenger service by 2032. The construction works come alongside that for the next stages of the Circle Line (CCL) and Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL), which were announced last week.