Thomson-East Coast Line on track to open in 2019

Separately, architectural, electrical and mechanical works on the Thomson-East Coast MRT line (TEL) are about three-quarters complete, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan revealed on Monday.

In a written reply to a parliamentary question from Marine Parade GRC MP Seah Kian Peng, Mr. Khaw said the TEL's Mandai Depot will be completed and commissioned ahead of the opening of the first three stations of the line - Woodlands North, Woodlands and Woodlands South - next year.

He added that integrated testing between the depot's operation control centre and systems in these three stations - which check that they are working well - has already started. Mr. Khaw was also present for the delivery of the two trains on Tuesday.

They will join the first train for the line, which arrived in Singapore in May and is currently at the Mandai Depot. The condition of the trains will be checked before they are delivered to the depot. The TEL trains are manufactured in China by a consortium of Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries and China's CSR Qingdao Sifang Co, which won a $749 million contract four years ago to supply the trains.

These train cars feature five doors on each side - instead of four as on other MRT trains - to facilitate smoother boarding and alighting. The remaining 88 trains for the line will be delivered in batches between now and 2023. The 43km TEL will open progressively from next year and be completed in 2024.

The 31-station line, which stretches from Woodlands North to Sungei Bedok, will connect commuters in the eastern region to the city centre, as well as those living in the Woodlands and Thomson areas. Last year, rail operator SMRT won the contract to operate the TEL for nine years with a bid of $1.7 billion.