Written Reply by Minister for Transport Ong Ye Kung to Parliamentary Question on Moving Work Site A1W1 for Cross Island Line Further into Singapore Island Country Club

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Transport whether, for the Cross Island MRT Line, the Ministry will consider moving work site A1W1 further into the Singapore Island Country Club to reduce the impact on a group of langurs which rely on the forest where the current work site A1W1 is located.

Reply by Minister for Transport Ong Ye Kung:

1.     Since 2013, LTA has been working closely with the nature groups to address their concerns on the impact of the Cross Island Line (CRL) on the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR). LTA has also engaged an advance engineering consultant in early 2020 to look into the optimisation of the worksite at A1W1, to reduce the potential impact to the Raffles Banded Langurs.

2.     The study and engagement have led to two significant changes. First, LTA has further optimised the worksite and reduced the footprint by over 50%. Second, LTA secured the agreement of the management of the Singapore Island Country Club to move part of the A1W1 worksite into the premise of the club. With these measures, the worksite will be significantly further away, at approximately 150 metres instead of 30 metres, from the area where the Raffles Banded Langurs are known to roam.

3.     The key representatives of the nature groups have reviewed the optimised A1W1 worksite and they are supportive of the changes. LTA will continue to work with them on further measures to mitigate any potential environmental impact at the A1W1 worksite when construction of the CRL begins, so as to strike a balance between preserving the environment and wildlife, and improving transport infrastructure for the benefit of Singaporeans.