Construction for the sixth stage of the Circle Line (CCL6) will kick off by the end of this year, with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) awarding the first three civil contracts yesterday. The 4km, three-station CCL6 is a new rail segment, which will link up existing terminal stops HarbourFront and Marina Bay, making the line a complete circle. When the CCL6 is completed by 2025, the entire line will have 33 stations in all.

Announcing the tender results, the LTA said that a joint venture - by China State Construction Engineering (Singapore branch) and Nishimatsu Construction - won the contract to build the new Keppel MRT station and its associated tunnels. The companies, which have been individually involved in projects for the Downtown Line 3, had submitted a joint bid of $313.8 million.

The Keppel MRT station will be a two-level underground station located south of Keppel Road, next to the Keppel Terminal. Meanwhile, the contract to build cut-and-cover tunnels, linking the future CCL6 Prince Edward station with the existing Marina Bay station, was clinched by Koh Brothers Building & Civil Engineering Contractor.

The Singapore firm, which clinched the tender for $225.35 million, was previously involved in other rail projects as part of joint ventures, such as the Outram Park station on the North-East Line. Cut-and-cover is a traditional method of trenching a tunnel from above the ground. To cater to future needs, the Kim Chuan depot will be expanded to double its capacity from 70 to 133 trains, and to also house 550 buses.

Local firm Woh Hup clinched the tender with a bid of $1.21 billion. The firm is presently involved in the construction of the Thomson-East Coast Line's Woodlands South, Amber and Bayshore stations. The first three contracts are worth a total of $1.75 billion. Tender proposals for the other CCL6 contracts, such as the construction of the Prince Edward and Cantonment stations, are currently being evaluated. The contracts will be awarded by the end of the year.