LTA Announces Start of Jurong Region Line Construction, 24 MRT Stations Opening from 2027

LTA Announces Start of Jurong Region Line Construction, 24 MRT Stations Opening from 2027. (Images: LTA, SGTrains)

The 24-station Jurong Region Line (JRL) officially started construction works on Friday (Jan 13), with a ground-breaking and viaduct-launching ceremonial event at the future Tengah Town.

Spanning over 24 kilometres, the fully-elevated JRL is expected to “significantly improve connectivity” in the western part of Singapore and support developments in the Jurong area, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in a news release.

The JRL is slated to begin passenger service in three stages from 2027 to 2029.

Construction Begins for Jurong Region Line

Better connectivity for residents and time savings for commuters

“Minister for Transport, S Iswaran officiated the ground-breaking and viaduct launching ceremony to mark the start of the JRL construction earlier today.” (Image: LTA/Facebook)

Officiating the ceremonial event, Transport Minister S Iswaran said the opening of the JRL is expected to add more than 60,000 households within a 10-minute walk of a train station.

He added that the JRL will connect residential areas such as Gek Poh and Pandan Gardens to key areas in Jurong that currently do not have direct links to the MRT network.

These key areas include the Jurong Industrial Estate, Jurong Innovation District and Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

Commuters can also expect “substantial time savings” with the JRL, where a trip from Choa Chu Kang MRT station to NTU will be shortened from 60 minutes to 35 minutes.

A commute from Woodlands MRT station to Jurong Island Checkpoint will take 45 minutes instead of the 80 minutes travelling time of today.

24 new MRT stations with three interchanges

Artist’s Impression of the JS3 station on the Jurong Region Line (JRL). (Image: LTA)

In addition to better connectivity and time savings for residents and commuters, the JRL includes three interchange stations linking commuters to existing train lines.

JE 5 NS 1 EW 24 Jurong East
JS 1 NS 4 BP 1 Choa Chu Kang
JS 8 EW 27 Boon Lay

The Jurong East JRL station will interchange with the East-West Line (EWL) and North-South Line (NSL), the Choa Chu Kang JRL station links the NSL and Bukit Panjang LRT, and the Boon Lay JRL station with the EWL.

Jurong East and Choa Chu Kang JRL stations will become new triple-line interchange stations, adding onto Dhoby Ghaut NSL station and the recently-opened Outram Park and Marina Bay MRT stations on the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL).

Sustainable solutions to be implemented across the JRL

Artist’s Impression of the JE2 station on the Jurong Region Line (JRL). (Image: LTA)

With sustainability being kept in mind, all JRL stations will be fitted with photovoltaic (PV) solar panels to generate renewable energy for station operations.

“The PVs will help reduce the carbon footprint of JRL operations by providing a constant source of power with little to no greenhouse gas emissions,” said the LTA.

It added that JRL stations are also designed to allow crossflow natural ventilation to reduce mechanical energy usage from fans and air conditioning.

Mr Iswaran said the JRL trains — Korean-made Hyundai Rotem J151 — will also be fitted with sensors to automatically dim lights during the day.

The JRL trains will have regenerative braking systems implemented, consistent across all MRT lines, for feeding energy during braking back into the power system for nearby stations and trains.

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Related Links
Jurong Region Line – SGTrains
Hyundai Rotem J151 – SGTrains

External Links
Work Commences for Jurong Region Line – LTA [Accessed 13 Jan 2023]
“#PSA 📢🚧 Construction works for our 7th #MRT line – the #Jurong Region Line (#JRL) – have officially started! 🚉 ” – LTA/Facebook [Accessed 13 Jan 2023]
“We are a step closer to the opening of Singapore’s seventh MRT line – the Jurong Region Line.” – S Iswaran/Facebook [Accessed 13 Jan 2023]

Images: LTA, SGTrains, LTA/Facebook.
This article first appeared on SGTrains.
Last updated on 13 Jan 2023.