The third and final section of the Cross Island Line (CRL), Singapore’s eighth MRT Line, is expected to have an estimated completion date of end 2033. The line, which is estimated to have a length of 56 kilometers, was originally expected to be completed by 2030, but the Covid-19 pandemic and a year-long environmental assessment about its impact on Singapore’s Central Catchment Nature Reserve resulted in a 3-year delay. The line has been split into three phases: Phase 1 will consist of 12 stations and is about 29 kilometers long, and will connect from East to Central Singapore, while phase 2 is 14 kilometers long and will see an additional 6 stations added, and phase 3 will have at least 4 stations and cover the remaining 13 kilometers.
According to the Land Transport Authority (LTA), tenders for the main civil construction contracts for phase three could be called starting from the third quarter of 2024, while the tendering process for architectural works could begin from the second quarter of 2031. After construction is completed, the line needs to undergo testing, which would likely result in the full line only starting operations in 2034 or later, which the LTA has stated could only be confirmed after advanced engineering studies have concluded.
(Source: The Straits Times)