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Different route for Cross Island Line suggested by Nature Society

19 Jul 2013|3,497 views

The Nature Society has voiced its concerns over the proposed route for the Cross Island Line, which seems to cut through Singapore's largest nature reserve.

The line was first announced in January as part of the Government's Land Use Plan and runs from Jurong to Tampines

The Cross Island Line appears to pass through densely built-up areas like Sin Ming, Hougang and Clementi but also seems to cut through primary and secondary forest in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve near MacRitchie Reservoir.

In the paper, the NSS claimed that the forest, home to birds such as the critically endangered white-rumped shama and uncommon animals including the pangolin and clouded monitor lizard, will be affected by the land clearing needed for soil investigation works.

The soil works, which involves boring 70 metre-deep holes every 15 to 20 metres to determine soil strength, would also muddy and choke delicate freshwater streams containing rare native fish like the malayan pygmy rasbora, the NSS added.

The NSS also stated that tunnelling through granite also carries the risk of rock collapse and soil subsidence, pointing out that the MacRitchie forest is part of a gazetted nature reserve under the Parks and Trees Act.

The NSS suggested that running the planned Cross Island MRT Line along Lornie Road instead of through Singapore's largest nature reserve would add just 2km and four minutes to travel time and that would greatly help reduce the damage to the reserve's ecosystem.

A Land Transport Authority (LTA) spokesman said it had received NSS' paper and will study it in detail, adding that the path the line will take has not been decided.

The Nature Society (Singapore) has voiced its concerns on the proposed Cross Island Line in a 40-page paper. The position paper, released yesterday, also described the environmental damage that may be caused by the soil investigations and tunnelling needed for the 50km MRT project, which is expected to be ready in 2030.

The Cross Island Line appears to pass through densely built-up areas like Sin Ming, Hougang and Clementi but also seems to cut through primary and secondary forest in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve near MacRitchie Reservoir.

In the paper, the NSS claimed that the forest, home to birds such as the critically endangered white-rumped shama and uncommon animals including the pangolin and clouded monitor lizard, will be affected by the land clearing needed for soil investigation works.

The soil works, which involves boring 70 metre-deep holes every 15 to 20 metres to determine soil strength, would also muddy and choke delicate freshwater streams containing rare native fish like the malayan pygmy rasbora, the NSS added.

The NSS also stated that tunnelling through granite also carries the risk of rock collapse and soil subsidence, pointing out that the MacRitchie forest is part of a gazetted nature reserve under the Parks and Trees Act.

The NSS suggested that running the planned Cross Island MRT Line along Lornie Road instead of through Singapore's largest nature reserve would add just 2km and four minutes to travel time and that would greatly help reduce the damage to the reserve's ecosystem.

A Land Transport Authority (LTA) spokesman said it had received NSS' paper and will study it in detail, adding that the path the line will take has not been decided.