Tanjong Katong MRT station explained

Type:Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station
Address:2 Amber Road
Singapore 439846
Structure:Underground
Platform:2 (2 stacked platforms)
Depth:30m
Levels:2
Tracks:2
Accessible:Yes
Operator:SMRT Trains (SMRT Corporation)
Owned:Land Transport Authority
Former:Amber[1]
Map Type:Singapore Rail
Map Dot Label:Tanjong Katong
Map Alt:Singapore MRT/LRT system map
Map Size:300px

Tanjong Katong MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the Thomson–East Coast Line (TEL) in Singapore. Located underneath Amber Road at the intersection with Tanjong Katong Road South and Meyer Road, the station serves nearby condominiums such as Aalto and King's Mansion. The station is operated by SMRT Trains.

First announced in August 2014 as Amber MRT station, the station was renamed following a public poll in 2016. Six houses and an apartment were acquired for the station's construction, despite opposition from the owners over compensation disputes. Tanjong Katong station commenced operations on 23 June 2024 along with the other stations of TEL Phase 4.

Built with a stacked platform configuration, the station features circular skylights and a leaf-shaped ceiling over the concourse. An Art In Transit artwork The Waters Are Blue, Yet I Pine For You by Sim Chi Yin is displayed at this station, along with a mural entitled Riding the Waves of Change by students from Tanjong Katong Girls School.

History

The station was first announced as Amber MRT station on 15 August 2014. It would be part of the proposed Thomson–East Coast Line (TEL) and constructed as part of Phase 4, consisting of eight stations between Founders' Memorial and Bayshore.[2] [3] The station was renamed to Tanjong Katong station through a public poll in 2016.[4]

The contract for the design and construction of Tanjong Katong station was awarded to Woh Hup (Private) Limited for S$146 million in April 2016. Construction was scheduled to commence in that year with a targeted completion date of 2023.[5] [6] Six semi-detached houses along Amber Road and a three-storey apartment block along Tanjong Katong Road were acquired to build the station by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA). The acquisition was opposed by the affected residents as they felt the 18-month period for relocation was "too tight" and the compensation sum too low.[7] [8] In April 2016, two residents still stayed at the apartment block while the owners sought more compensation through the Appeals Board (Land Acquisition). The owner of Sin Aik Provision shop at the ground floor claimed he needed more time to move out the goods and find a new shop space. However, the SLA rejected the request as it would delay the TEL construction beyond 2023, and gave the owners until 31 May to move out or face eviction.[9] [10]

Initially expected to open in 2023, the restrictions on the construction of the station due to the COVID-19 pandemic led to delays, and the date was pushed to 2024.[11] On 5 March 2024, the LTA announced that the station will open on 23 June that year[12] [13] with an open house event being held on 21 June to allow commuters to familiarise themselves with the new station.[14]

Details

Tanjong Katong station serves the TEL and is between the Katong Park and Marine Parade stations, with an official station code of TE25.[15] [16] As part of the TEL, the station is operated by SMRT Trains.[17] Located underneath Amber Road near the junction of Tanjong Katong Road South and Meyer Road,[18] [19] the station has three entrances serving nearby private residential properties including the Aalto, Amber Skye, King's Mansion, and One Amber.[20]

Due to land constraints, the station has a stacked platform configuration.[21] The station box has a depth of .[22] Circular skylights over the escalators allow natural illumination of the station in daytime.[23] Two of the station entrances have green roofs with solar panels.[24] The leaf-shaped ceiling of the ticketing concourse is inspired by the history of Tanjong Katong.[25] Like the other TEL4 stations, hybrid cooling fans at the platforms complement the station's air-conditioning to improve air circulation while lowering energy consumption.[26]

The Waters Are Blue, yet I Pine for You by Sim Chi Yin is displayed at this station as part of the Art in Transit programme, a showcase of public artworks on the MRT network.[27] The artwork, which the title was derived from the first stanza of local folk song Di Tanjung Katong, is a 11.3abbr=onNaNabbr=on collage on a three-storey wall near the escalators connecting the station's main concourse to the upper and lower platforms. To portray Tanjong Katong's past and memories, the work combines archival photographs with Sim's images of the present, superimposed over a photo of the former Big Splash water park. Other images depict the local swimming clubs in the area, Kampong Amber and the endangered Katong turtles. Sim had expressed interest in the area's "hidden histories" and used visual motifs to highlight gaps in the archives and official histories, which was a recurring theme in her work.[28]

Another mural, Riding the Waves of Change by Tanjong Katong Girls School students, depicts the development of Katong from a Peranakan enclave to present urbanised neighbourhood. According to the students, the recurring motifs of the Katong turtle symbolises Katong's history and its "commitment to sustainability" as Katong "rides the waves of change".[29]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: LTA News Room News Releases Finalised Station Names for Thomson-East Coast Line (East Coast Stretch) and Downtown Line 3 Extension. www.lta.gov.sg. 22 April 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200422104515/https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/newsroom/2016/7/2/finalised-station-names-for-thomson-east-coast-line-east-coast-stretch-and-downtown-line-3-extension.html. 22 April 2020. live.
  2. 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 Press Room Land Transport Authority . 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 . www.lta.gov.sg.
  3. Web site: 13 February 2020 . LTA Upcoming Projects Rail Expansion Thomson-East Coast Line . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20191225042455/https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/upcoming_projects/rail_expansion/thomson_east_coast_line.html . 25 December 2019 . 13 February 2020 . www.lta.gov.sg.
  4. Web site: Kok . Xing Hui . 20 January 2016 . Names of 10 new MRT stations up for voting . live . 30 July 2024 . The Straits Times.
  5. Web site: 28 April 2016 . LTA Awards Two Contracts for Thomson-East Coast Line's Amber and Bedok South Stations . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200213065615/https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/newsroom/2016/4/2/lta-awards-two-contracts-for-thomson-east-coast-lines-amber-and-bedok-south-stations.html . 13 February 2020 . 13 February 2020 . Land Transport Authority.
  6. Web site: Abdullah . Zhaki . 28 April 2016 . LTA awards contracts for Amber and Bedok South stations on Thomson-East Coast line . 8 January 2021 . The Straits Times.
  7. Web site: Ng . Kelly . 15 August 2014 . Over 24,000sqm of land to be acquired for Thomson-East Coast Line . 18 April 2022 . Today . 17 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220417171519/https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/over-24000sqm-land-be-acquired-thomson-east-coast-line . live .
  8. Web site: Tan . Christopher . January 19, 2016 . $45m for 15 homes affected by Thomson-East Coast MRT line . 2 August 2024 . The Straits Times . 2 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240802152113/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/45m-for-15-homes-affected-by-thomson-east-coast-mrt-line . live .
  9. Web site: Cheong . Danson . April 30, 2016 . Tanjong Katong residents resist SLA deadline to move out to make way for Amber MRT station . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160502114841/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/tanjong-katong-residents-resist-sla-deadline-to-move-out-to-make-way-for-amber . May 2, 2016 . August 2, 2024 . The Straits Times.
  10. Web site: Philomin . Laura Elizabeth . 30 April 2016 . Higher payouts being sought over TEL land acquisition . 5 August 2024 . Today.
  11. Web site: Written Reply by Minister for Transport Ong Ye Kung to Parliamentary Question on Updates on Thomson East Coast Line, Jurong Region Line and Cross Island Line . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20210517000023/https://www.mot.gov.sg/news-centre/news/Detail/written-reply-by-minister-for-transport-ong-ye-kung-to-parliamentary-question-on-updates-on-thomson-east-coast-line-jurong-region-line-and-cross-island-line . 17 May 2021 . 17 May 2021 . Land Transport Authority.
  12. Web site: Lee . Nian Tjoe . 5 March 2024 . TEL Stage 4 from Tanjong Rhu to Bayshore to open for passenger service on June 23 . 5 March 2024 . The Straits Times . 5 March 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240305091507/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/tel-stage-4-from-tanjong-rhu-to-bayshore-to-open-for-passenger-service-on-june-23 . live .
  13. Web site: Thomson – East Coast Line 4 to Welcome Commuters from 23 June 2024 . 5 March 2024 . LTA.
  14. Web site: 10 June 2024 . Factsheet: Explore Seven New Thomson-East Coast Line Stage 4 Stations on 21 June . live . 3 August 2024 . Land Transport Authority . 25 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240625100258/https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/newsroom/2024/6/news-releases/explore_seven_new_TEL_stage_4_stations.html .
  15. Web site: System Map . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240621093444/https://www.transitlink.com.sg/eservice/eguide/mrt_sys_map.htm . 21 June 2024 . 21 June 2024 . Transitlink.
  16. Web site: System Map . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240625100255/https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/dam/ltagov/getting_around/public_transport/rail_network/pdf/SM_TEL4_Eng.pdf . 25 June 2024 . 23 June 2024 . Land Transport Authority.
  17. 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 . Land Transport Authority.
  18. Web site: Contract T306 Tanjong Katong Station . 1 August 2024 . Woh Hup (Private Limited).
  19. Web site: Tanjong Katong – Exits . live . http://archive.today/2024.06.21-090613/http://journey.smrt.com.sg/journey/station_info/tanjong-katong/exits/ . 21 June 2024 . 2 August 2024 . SMRT Journeys.
  20. Web site: Tanjong Katong - Map . live . https://archive.today/20240621090613/http://journey.smrt.com.sg/journey/station_info/tanjong-katong/exits/ . 21 June 2024 . 1 August 2024 . SMRT Journeys.
  21. Web site: Ong . Justin Guang-Xi . 22 May 2024 . Tunnelling through crowded areas, how engineers navigated constraints to build 7 new Thomson-East Coast Line stations . 2 August 2024 . CNA . Platform Configuration . 1 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240701123239/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/thomson-east-coast-line-tel4-construction-challenges-tunnel-lta-4351691 . live .
  22. TE25 Tanjong Katong . 2021 . Infographic poster at TEL Project Information Centre . Land Transport Authority . Singapore .
  23. Web site: William . Whitney . 20 June 2024 . 6 things you can do at the public preview of TEL Stage 4 MRT stations on June 21 . 2 August 2024 . The Straits Times . 26 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240626165103/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/6-things-you-can-do-at-the-public-preview-of-tel-stage-4-on-june-21 . live .
  24. Web site: Thomson – East Coast Line 4: Enjoy the East Side Vibe . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240623121742/https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/dam/ltagov/upcoming_projects/thomson_east_coast_line/pdf/Thomson_East_Coast_Line_4_Brochure.pdf . 23 June 2024 . 24 June 2024 . Land Transport Authority . 11.
  25. Web site: Thomson-East Coast Line . 29 July 2024 . Land Transport Authority . 21 April 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200421102954/https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/getting_around/public_transport/rail_network/thomson_east_coast_line.html . live .
  26. Web site: Loi . Esther . 3 May 2024 . Hybrid cooling fans, underground bike parking areas among new features at TEL Stage 4 stations . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240622132023/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/hybrid-cooling-fans-underground-bike-parking-stations-among-new-features-at-tel-stage-4-stations . 22 June 2024 . 23 June 2024 . The Straits Times.
  27. Web site: Art in Transit . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240623061047/https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/getting_around/public_transport/a_better_public_transport_experience/art_in_public_transport/art_in_transit.html . 23 June 2024 . 23 June 2024 . Land Transport Authority.
  28. Web site: Soh . Therese . 4 May 2024 . ‘Time After Time’: A first look at new Art in Transit installations at TEL Stage 4 stations . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240522122713/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/time-after-time-a-first-look-at-new-art-in-transit-installations-at-tel-stage-4-stations . 22 May 2024 . 29 July 2024 . The Straits Times.
  29. Web site: 24 June 2024 . Riding the Waves of Change . 31 July 2024 . Tanjong Katong Girls School . 31 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240731061108/https://www.tkgs.moe.edu.sg/riding-the-waves-of-change/ . live .

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