Clementi MRT station

 EW23  CR17 
Clementi
金文泰
கிளிமெண்டி
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station
The station with a blue exterior is located in the median of the main road, surrounded by other buildings
Exterior of the station
General information
Location3150 Commonwealth Avenue West
Singapore 129580
Coordinates1°18′55.09″N 103°45′54.88″E / 1.3153028°N 103.7652444°E / 1.3153028; 103.7652444
Operated bySMRT Trains (SMRT Corporation)
Line(s)
  East–West Line
  Cross Island Line
Platforms2 (1 island platform)
Tracks2
ConnectionsClementi Bus Interchange
Construction
Structure typeElevated (EWL)
Underground (CRL)
Platform levels1
ParkingYes (Clementi Mall)
AccessibleYes
History
Opened12 March 1988 (1988-03-12) (East West line)
Opening2032 (2032) (Tentative - Cross Island line)
Passengers
June 202441,576 per day[1]
Services
Preceding station Mass Rapid Transit Following station
Dover
towards Pasir Ris
 East–West Line Jurong East
towards Tuas Link
Maju
towards Aviation Park
 Cross Island Line
Future service
 West Coast
towards Jurong Lake District
Location
Singapore MRT/LRT system map
Singapore MRT/LRT system map
Clementi
Clementi station in Singapore

Clementi MRT station is an elevated Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the East–West Line (EWL). Located in Clementi, Singapore, the station is located along Commonwealth Avenue West and serves landmarks such as the Clementi Mall, the Clementi Bus Interchange, and Clementi Fire Station.

Built as part of Phase IA of the MRT system, the EWL station opened on 12 March 1988. An oil spill on the tracks led to two trains colliding at the station on 5 August 1993. The station saw further upgrades, such as new half-height platform doors and fans above the platforms to improve ventilation, as well as new linkways which opened in 2018. In September 2022, it was announced that the station would become an interchange station with the Cross Island Line (CRL) as part of Phase 2 of the line.

History

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East West line

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A series of faregates dividing the paid and unpaid areas of the station
Faregates pictured in 2015
A white train halting at a platform
A C151 train at the EWL platform

Clementi station was first constructed as part of Phase IA of the MRT system, a 8.5-kilometre (5.3-mile) segment which spans from Tiong Bahru to this station.[2] Initially planned to be built as part of Phase II, this segment was targeted to be completed in 1988, right after the completion of MRT Phase I to increase Phase I's catchment area.[3] The contract for the construction of Clementi station and 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) of viaducts was awarded to a joint venture between Lim Kah Ngam Construction and Aoki Corporation for S$48.7 million (US$66 million in 2022) in April 1985.[4][5]

The station opened for a public preview on 27 and 28 February 1988,[6] before operations commenced on 12 March that year.[7][8] On the opening day, Clementi station was the most visited station among the Phase IA stations, with 80,000 recorded trips and 125,618 passengers.[9][10]

In 2012, half-height platform screen doors was installed at this station as part of the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) programme to improve safety in MRT stations.[11][12][13] High-volume low-speed fans were installed above the platforms of the station between 2012 and 2013 as part of a national programme to improve ventaliation at station platforms.[14][15]

Two new link bridges, along with new fare gates and escalators,[16] were built and opened in 2018 to improve connectivity to new flats near the station.[17][18] Noise barriers were installed along the viaduct stretch from Clementi Road to Clementi station as part of a S$17 million (US$12.7 million) contract awarded to CKT Thomas Pte Ltd in January 2015.[19][20] Another set of noise barriers from Clementi Avenue 4 to Lempeng Drive were installed from 2018 to 2020.[21][22]

Clementi rail incident

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Main article: Clementi rail accident

On the morning of 5 August 1993, two trains collided at the station after one became stalled at the station due to a technical fault. The crash left 156 people injured, eight of them seriously. The trains were taken out of service while engineers conducted checks on signalling equipment at the Clementi, Buona Vista, and Commonwealth stations.[23][24] MRT operations resumed the next day.[23][25] For further engineering checks between the Buona Vista and Clementi stations, trains at Buona Vista were not allowed to depart until the train at Clementi left; this restriction was lifted on 8 August.[26]

An independent inquiry panel concluded that a damaged maintenance locomotive spilled oil on the tracks the morning of the crash. While workers were aware of the spill, the cleaning crew were delayed from accessing the tracks. Ten trains had experienced braking issues leading up to the crash. The stalled train used its emergency brakes to stop at Clementi station and needed to recharge its brake systems before moving off. The automatic braking system of the subsequent train failed to prevent the collision. As MRT staff had followed procedures, none faced disciplinary action as a result of the crash. The inquiry recommended increased inspections of locomotives and for the station master to look out for oil spills on tracks.[27]

Clementi Derailment

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Main article: September 2024 East–West MRT line disruption

On 25 September 2024, a KHI C151 train derailed while being withdrawn from service into Ulu Pandan Depot after a defective train axle box dislodged and caused the wheels of a bogie to come off the running rail and hit track equipment, including the third rail and point machines, significantly damaging them and causing a power fault. Equipment damaged includes one train set, 1.6 km of running rails, power supplying third rails and three track point machines. Recovery lasted 6 days, with train services expected to resume on 1st October, making this incident the longest breakdown in Singapore history.

Cross Island line

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The station was first announced to interchange with the Cross Island line (CRL) on 20 September 2022 by Transport Minister S Iswaran. The CRL platforms will be constructed as part of CRL Phase 2, a 15-kilometre (9.3 mi) segment spanning six stations from Turf City to Jurong Lake District station.[28][29] The station is expected to be completed in 2032.[30]

The contract for the construction of Clementi CRL station was awarded to a joint venture between China Communications Construction Company Limited (Singapore Branch) and Sinohydro Corporation Limited (Singapore Branch) for S$514 million (US$383.58 million) in October 2023. Construction of the new station was scheduled to begin in 2024 and be completed in 2032.[31] To facilitate the construction of the new CRL station, the Clementi police headquarters and the neighbourhood police centre were relocated to Lempeng Drive.[32][33] The contract for the construction of tunnels between this station and Maju station was awarded to Sinohydro Corporation Limited (Singapore Branch) for S$199 million (US$148.51 million) in August 2024.[34]

Station details

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Clementi station serves the EWL and is between the Jurong East and Dover stations. The official station code is EW23.[35] Being part of the EWL, the station is operated by SMRT Trains.[36] The station will be a future interchange station with the CRL.[37] The station is located along Commonwealth Avenue West and has four entrances.[38] Surrounding landmarks of the station include the Clementi Mall, Clementi Bus Interchange, Clementi Fire Station, Clementi Polyclinic, Masjid Darussalam, and Clementi Primary School.[39]

A mural, Echoes of Clementi by Ashley Goh Yu Ting, is displayed at this station as part of SMRT's Comic Connect – a public art showcase of heritage-themed murals. Commemorating Clementi's multicultural communities and its development from a kampung into a town hub, the work depicts Clementi's various landmarks and flora and fauna that remains in the new town.[40]

References

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  1. ^ "Land Transport DataMall". mytransport.sg. Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 14 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  2. ^ Dhaliwal, Rav (10 June 1983). "Now First Phase Takes a Step Up". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. p. 1 – via NewspaperSG.
  3. ^ Wee, Agnes (10 June 1983). "Phase I of MRT Modified to Cover a Wider Area". Business Times. Singapore Press Holdings. p. 1 – via NewspaperSG.
  4. ^ Lim, Soon Neo (23 April 1985). "LKN-Aoki venture clinches $48.7m MRT contract". Business Times. Singapore Press Holdings. p. 16 – via NewspaperSG.
  5. ^ Dhaliwal, Rav (23 April 1985). "It's All Go Now for First Phase of MRT". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. p. 12. Retrieved 3 October 2023 – via NewspaperSG.
  6. ^ "Six East-West Line MRT Stations to Hold Open Days". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. 6 February 1988. p. 25 – via NewspaperSG.
  7. ^ "Riding the MRT train to Clementi". Business Times. Singapore Press Holdings. 12 March 1988. p. 1. Retrieved 17 October 2017 – via NewspaperSG.
  8. ^ Dhaliwal, Rav (12 March 1988). "PM to Open the MRT System Today". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. p. 1. Retrieved 3 October 2023 – via NewspaperSG.
  9. ^ Simon, Sharon (14 March 1988). "Clementi Packs Them In at Opening of New Line". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. p. 12 – via NewspaperSG.
  10. ^ "Clementi Extension a Hit with MRT Commuters". The Straits Times. 24 March 1988. p. 18 – via NewspaperSG.
  11. ^ "Platform screen doors for all above-ground MRT stations by 2012". The Straits Times. 25 January 2008. Archived from the original on 28 January 2008.
  12. ^ "Speech by Mr Raymond Lim, Minister for Transport, at the Visit to Kim Chuan Depot, 25 January 2008, 9.00am" (Press release). Ministry of Transport. 25 January 2008. Archived from the original on 12 January 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  13. ^ "LTA completes installing elevated MRT station screen doors early". Channel NewsAsia. Mediacorp. Archived from the original on 24 September 2017. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  14. ^ "Enhancing Connectivity and Comfort for Commuters". Land Transport Authority. 13 October 2011. Archived from the original on 25 December 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  15. ^ "Connect – April 2012" (PDF). Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  16. ^ Fang, Joy (1 August 2014). "Direct lift access from HDB blocks to three MRT stations". Today. Archived from the original on 3 June 2024. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  17. ^ Tan, Christopher (25 August 2015). "LTA studying possible extension of planned Jurong Region Line to connect to Circle Line". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 14 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  18. ^ Yeo, Marissa (25 August 2015). "Jurong line may be extended to link with Circle Line". TODAY. Archived from the original on 15 August 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  19. ^ "Railway Noise Barriers on Track". Land Transport Authority. 15 January 2015. Archived from the original on 15 May 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  20. ^ "Annex A: Phase 1 of Railway Noise Barrier Installation Plans" (PDF). Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 March 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  21. ^ "Railway Noise Barriers at 16 More Locations". Land Transport Authority. 14 December 2018. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  22. ^ "Annex A: Phase 2 of the Installations of Railway Noise Barriers" (PDF). Land Transport Authority. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  23. ^ a b Pereira, Brendan (6 August 1993). "MRT trains collide at Clementi: 132 hurt". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. p. 1. Retrieved 2 October 2023 – via NewspaperSG.
  24. ^ "Spilled Oil May Be Cause of MRT Train Collision". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. 7 August 1993. p. 1 – via NewspaperSG.
  25. ^ "Queenstown-Jurong E Service Resumes, Cause of Crash Still Unknown". Business Times. Singapore Press Holdings. 7 August 1993. p. 2 – via NewspaperSG.
  26. ^ "Safety restriction imposed after MRT accident lifted". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. 9 August 1993. p. 21. Retrieved 11 October 2023 – via NewspaperSG.
  27. ^ "Oil spillage led to MRT train collision: Panel". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. 20 October 1993. p. 1. Retrieved 11 October 2023 – via NewspaperSG.
  28. ^ Chew, Hui Min (20 September 2022). "Six more MRT stations will be built in Phase 2 of Cross Island Line; to open by 2032". CNA. Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  29. ^ Kok, Yufeng (20 September 2022). "Cross Island Line phase 2 to open by 2032 with 6 MRT stations, from Turf City to Jurong Lake District". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  30. ^ "Cross Island Line Phase 2". LTA. 20 September 2022. Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  31. ^ "LTA Awards Two Civil Contracts for Cross Island Line Phase 2". LTA. 2 October 2023. Archived from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  32. ^ "Clementi police headquarters to relocate to make way for Cross Island Line station". CNA. 17 October 2023. Archived from the original on 17 October 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  33. ^ "金文泰警署和邻里警局本月底搬迁 方便地铁跨岛线建筑工程". 8world (in Chinese). 17 October 2023. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  34. ^ "Final Civil Contract for Cross Island Line Phase 2 and Power Supply Contract for Cross Island Line Awarded". LTA. 15 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  35. ^ "MRT System Map" (PDF). Land Transport Authority. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 August 2020.
  36. ^ "Getting Around – Public Transport – Rail Network". Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  37. ^ "Cross Island Line". Land Transport Authority. 28 September 2023. Archived from the original on 27 December 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  38. ^ "Clementi – Map". SMRT Journeys. SMRT Corporation. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  39. ^ "Clementi – Exits". SMRT Journeys. SMRT Corporation. Archived from the original on 15 November 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  40. ^ "Echoes of Clementi". Roots. 23 September 2024. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
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