Lentor MRT station explained
Lentor MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the Thomson–East Coast Line (TEL). It is situated in northern Ang Mo Kio, Singapore, underneath Lentor Drive. The station serves various residential estates such as Lentor Estate and Teacher's Estate, as well as landmarks such as Anderson Primary School and the Saint Thomas Orthodox Syrian Cathedral.
First announced in August 2012 as part of the Thomson Line (TSL), the station was constructed as part of TEL Phase 2 (TEL2) after plans for the TSL and the Eastern Region line (ERL) were merged. The station was built using the top-down method; the works had to avoid damaging the major telecommunication cables at the working site. Along with the TEL2 stations, Lentor opened on 28 August 2021 and features an Art-in-Transit artwork Interlude by Tan Guo-Liang.
History
Lentor station was first announced as part of the 22-station Thomson Line (TSL) on 29 August 2012.[4] [5] In October 2013, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) awarded Contract T209 for the design and construction of Lentor station and associated tunnels to China Railway No. 5 Engineering Group Co. Ltd (Singapore Branch) at . The station's construction began in 2014, with a scheduled completion date of 2020.[6]
On 15 August 2014, the LTA announced that the TSL would merge with the Eastern Region Line to form the Thomson–East Coast Line (TEL). Lentor station, part of the proposed line, would be constructed as part of TEL2, consisting of six stations between Springleaf and Caldecott.[7] [8] The station was constructed using the top-down method to minimise impact to the surrounding developments. The workers conducted an extensive survey to locate the network of utility services at the construction site. This prevents disruption affecting the area.[9] Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong inaugurated the station's groundbreaking ceremony on 6 September.[10]
In the early morning of 1 March 2018, a 48-year-old construction worker died after falling from a working platform, 2.5metres above the ground, while working in a tunnel leading to the station. Prior to the incident, four other workers were dismantling components of a tunnel boring machine (TBM) after finishing tunneling works. A component of the TBM, a man-lock chamber, was being lowered using chain blocks when it abruptly swung, striking the platform that the worker was standing on.[11] [12] [13]
With restrictions imposed on construction due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the TEL 2 completion date was pushed to 2021.[14] On 14 December 2020, it was further announced that the opening of TEL 2 was delayed to the third quarter of 2021 so the rail system software for the line could be reviewed.[15] [16] [17] As announced during a visit by Transport Minister S. Iswaran at Caldecott station on 30 June 2021,[18] the station began operations on 28 August 2021.[19]
Station details
Lentor station serves the TEL and is between Springleaf and Mayflower stations. The official station code is TE5.[20] Being part of the TEL, the station is operated by SMRT Trains.[21] Train frequencies on the TEL range from 3 to 6 minutes.[22] The station is located underneath Lentor Drive near the junction with Yio Chu Kang Road.[23] The five entrances of Lentor station serve the surrounding residential areas of Lentor Estate and Teacher’s Estate,[9] as well as landmarks such as Anderson Primary School, First Evangelical Reformed Church and Saint Thomas Orthodox Syrian Cathedral.[24]
Designed by SAA Architects, the station design is inspired by the greenery covering Yio Chu Kang Road. The station columns resemble tree structures branching out to support the roof, with timbre panels that allow natural light into the station, similar to rainforest canopies.[25] The station is a designated Civil Defence (CD) shelter and contains a reinforced structure with blast doors. During a chemical attack, the air vents of the station can be shut to prevent the circulation of toxic gases. The CD shelter has dedicated cubicles for chemical decontamination alongside dry toilets.[26]
Lentor station features an Art-in-Transit artwork: Interlude by Tan Guo-Liang.[27] The work, created using mesh fabric, depicts musical notes and calligraphic scripts. Tan intended for his work to be viewed as a "visual poem", and he was inspired by the streets named after prominent poets, such as Rabindranath Tagore, According to the artist, the curved lines on the artwork added further significance to the piece, as the station name "Lentor" means "flexible" in Malay.[28]
Notes and References
- Web site: Land Transport DataMall . Datamall . . 14 August 2024 . 14 August 2024 . https://archive.ph/YCbCx . live. registration.
- Web site: LTA News Room News Releases Public Poll for Thomson Line Station Names. LTA. 25 April 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200425010122/https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/newsroom/2013/5/2/public-poll-for-thomson-line-station-names.html. 25 April 2020. live.
- Web site: LTA News Room News Releases Thomson Line Station Names Finalised. LTA. 25 April 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200106112333/https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/newsroom/2014/6/2/thomson-line-station-names-finalised.html. 6 January 2020. live.
- Web site: Sim . Royston . 29 August 2012 . New Thomson MRT line to open from 2019, and have 22 stations . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120829233715/http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/new-thomson-mrt-line-open-2019-and-have-22-stations-20120829 . 29 August 2012 . 30 June 2021 . The Straits Times.
- Web site: 30 August 2012 . Thomson Line to open from 2019 with 22 stations . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120830140407/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1222777/1/.html . 30 August 2012 . 30 June 2021 . Channel NewsAsia (CNA).
- Web site: LTA Awards Four Contracts for Thomson Line. 18 October 2013. LTA. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200107050208/https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/newsroom/2013/10/2/lta-awards-four-contracts-for-thomson-line.html. 7 January 2020. 7 January 2020.
- Web site: 19 August 2014 . Joint News Release by the Land Transport Authority & Singapore Land Authority – Thomson-East Coast Line: New MRT Links in the East . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140819084445/http://app.lta.gov.sg/apps/news/page.aspx?c=2&id=3cc2e460-06ea-4245-a37f-df11b602ec7d . 19 August 2014 . 13 February 2020. LTA.
- Web site: 13 February 2020 . Thomson–East Coast Line . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20200213075700/https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/upcoming_projects/rail_expansion/thomson_east_coast_line.html . 13 February 2020 . 13 February 2020 . LTA.
- Web site: 17 January 2020 . Factsheet: Progress Update on Thomson-East Coast Line Stage 2 . 3 October 2021 . LTA . 3 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211003120218/https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/newsroom/2020/1/news-releases/Factsheet_progress_update_TEL_stage_two.html . live .
- Web site: PM Lee Hsien Loong at the Groundbreaking Ceremony of Lentor MRT Station. Prime Minister's Office Singapore . 6 September 2014 . 30 January 2024.
- Web site: Lim . Adrian . Worker killed in Lentor MRT worksite accident . The Straits Times . 2 March 2018 . 17 December 2020 . 17 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201217125617/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/worker-killed-in-lentor-mrt-worksite-accident . live .
- Web site: Construction worker killed in accident at Lentor MRT station worksite . CNA . 1 March 2018 . 17 December 2020 . 17 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201217124143/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/construction-worker-dies-at-lentor-mrt-station-worksite-lta-10002456 . live .
- Web site: LTA Media Statement: Incident at Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) Lentor Station Worksite . LTA . 1 March 2018 . 17 December 2020 . 17 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201217124646/https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/newsroom/2018/3/2/lta-media-statement-incident-at-thomson-east-coast-line-tel-lentor-station-worksite.html . live .
- Web site: 4 September 2020 . Second stage of Thomson-East Coast Line to open early 2021 after delays due to COVID-19: Ong Ye Kung . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200913075617/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/covid-19-second-stage-of-tel-to-open-early-2021-delay-13083284 . 13 September 2020 . 4 September 2020 . CNA . en.
- Web site: Ho . Grace . 14 December 2020 . Stage 2 of Thomson-East Coast Line to be delayed by another six months to Q3 2021: LTA . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201217125359/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/stage-2-of-thomson-east-coast-line-to-be-delayed-by-another-six-months-to-q3 . 17 December 2020 . 14 December 2020 . The Straits Times.
- Web site: 14 December 2020 . Stage 2 of Thomson-East Coast Line to be delayed by another six months . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201217124647/https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/transport/stage-2-of-thomson-east-coast-line-to-be-delayed-by-another-six-months . 17 December 2020 . 17 December 2020 . The Business Times.
- Web site: 14 December 2020 . Second stage of Thomson-East Coast Line further delayed to third quarter next year . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201217124747/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/second-stage-thomson-east-coast-line-further-delayed-q3-13770372 . 17 December 2020 . 17 December 2020 . CNA.
- Web site: Abdullah . Zhaki . 30 June 2021 . Second stage of Thomson-East Coast Line to begin operations on Aug 28 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210630033627/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/thomson-east-coast-line-stage-2-open-aug-28-six-mrt-stations-15122660 . 30 June 2021 . 30 June 2021 . CNA.
- Web site: Begum . Shabana . 28 August 2021 . Commuters on first trains at new TEL2 stations reminisce about inaugural 1980s MRT rides . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210828191125/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/commuters-on-first-trains-at-new-tel2-stations-reminisce-inaugural-1980s-mrt . 28 August 2021 . 29 August 2021 . The Straits Times.
- Web site: MRT System Map . 3 October 2021 . LTA . 3 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210903005548/https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/dam/ltagov/getting_around/public_transport/rail_network/pdf/tel2_sm-20-03-en-exp.pdf . live .
- Web site: Getting Around – Public Transport – Rail Network . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20191101093543/https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/getting_around/public_transport/rail_network.html . 1 November 2019 . 27 April 2021 . LTA.
- Web site: LTA MRT/LRT . 2024-06-25 . www.lta.gov.sg.
- Web site: Lentor MRT Station (TE5) . OneMap . Singapore Land Authority . 11 October 2021.
- Web site: Lentor – Exits . live . https://archive.today/20210928123315/http://journey.smrt.com.sg/journey/station_info/lentor/exits/ . 28 September 2021 . 3 October 2021 . SMRT Journeys .
- Web site: Lentor Station – SAA Architects . SAA Architects . 22 February 2021 . 27 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201227032748/https://saaarchitects.com.sg/projects/lentor-station/ . live .
- Web site: Yong . Clement . 3 new TEL train stations to serve as emergency shelters . The Straits Times . 28 August 2021 . 5 October 2021 . 5 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211005031742/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/3-new-tel-train-stations-to-serve-as-emergency-shelters . live .
- Web site: Wei . Toh Ting . 20 August 2021 . Unique designs, seats with backrest among features at new Thomson-East Coast Line stations . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210828074555/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/unique-designs-seats-with-backrest-among-features-at-new-thomson-east-coast-line . 28 August 2021 . 3 October 2021 . The Straits Times.
- Web site: 20 August 2021 . Banyan trees and bulbuls: How Thomson-East Coast Line Stage 2 stations were inspired by nature . 3 October 2021 . CNA . 28 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210828074555/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/thomson-east-coast-line-mrt-stations-inspired-nature-2125766 . live .