History
On June 14, 2005, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced that it would construct the (then known as) Downtown Extension of the Circle Line, to serve the Downtown at Marina Bay (DTMB) area, where an integrated resort and Singapore's second botanical garden will be located. The 3.4-kilometre fully underground line was estimated to cost S$1.4 billion. Construction of the extension was slated to begin in 2007. Bayfront and Marina Bay stations effectively opened on 14 January 2012.
On 27 April 2007, it was announced that Stage 1 of the line will connect Promenade with Bugis. As such, the former Downtown Extension of the Circle Line became known as the Downtown Line Stage 1, a 4.3 km 6 station segment running fully underground from Chinatown on the North East Line to Bugis on the East West Line, due to be operational in 2013, a year later than originally planned. Three new stations will be constructed underground, linking Bugis on the East West Line, Promenade on the Circle Line and Chinatown on the North East Line. Two stations, Bayfront and Downtown, will be built to serve the DTMB area. Another station, Telok Ayer, will be built along Cross Street near the Chinatown area. During this period of time, the line was designated brown.
In its preliminary plans, Stage 2 of the Downtown Line was called the Bukit Timah Line, supposedly a 20-kilometre line that would connect the new downtown with the Bukit Panjang, Upper Bukit Timah and the Bukit Timah corridor. It was to intersect the Circle Line and all other current lines along the way. It was expected to alleviate the heavy traffic along Bukit Timah, Dunearn Road and Upper Bukit Timah after completion. Provisions were made at Promenade which would have been the line's southern interchange with the Circle Line. Stage 2 of the Downtown Line will be 16.6 km long, consisting twelve stations, including three interchange stations, and is scheduled to be completed by 2015. On July 15, 2008, the LTA announced the exact location, alignment and tentative name of the twelve stations to be built. Their final names are Rochor, Little India (interchanges with the North East Line), Newton (interchanges with the North South Line), Stevens, Botanic Gardens (interchanges with the Circle Line), Tan Kah Kee, Sixth Avenue, King Albert Park, Beauty World, Hillview, Cashew and Bukit Panjang. Commencement of construction for Stage 2 began on 3 July 2009 with a groundbreaking ceremony at Beauty World Station.
In its preliminary plans, Stage 3 of the Downtown Line was part of the Eastern Region Line, a 40-kilometre rectangular loop that would have complemented the existing East West Line and enhance inter- and intra-town travelling in the eastern region. It would have looped around the Jalan Besar and East Coast areas, intersecting the Circle Line and other current lines along the way, benefiting residents in Tampines, Bedok, Marine Parade, MacPherson and Kaki Bukit. Stage 3 now only comprises the northern segment of the original plan, from Chinatown to Expo. Provisions were made at Chinatown, which would have been the line's western interchange with the North East Line and the Downtown Extension. The northern segment of the loop was to be constructed first, passing through Jalan Besar area and eastwards to parts of Bedok, Tampines and Expo Station to serve the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) next to Upper Changi and Singapore Expo which will move there when the new campus is completed in 2018. Being 21 km-long, the sixteen stations would have been completed by 2018. In 2008, the government decided to accelerate the sector's opening to 2016. Station locations and their working names for Stage 3 were officially announced on 20 August 2010. At the same time, the then Transport Minister, Mr Raymond Lim also announced a delay of the completion of Stage 3 by a year to 2017 to accommodate the construction of an additional station at Jalan Besar. Similar to Stage 2, preliminary work by the LTA had begun. The finalised names for the Stage 3 stations were announced on 19 August 2011.
A new MRT depot, the Gali Batu Depot, is built at part of the former Kwong Hou Sua Teochew Cemetery off Woodlands Road.
On 29 August 2011, the LTA appointed SBS Transit (SBS Transit DTL Pte Ltd) as the operator of the Downtown Line, subsequently changing the line colour to blue.
The 30 October 2012 edition of The Straits Times reported that the final costs of building the line may reach an estimated S$20.7 billion, up more than 70% from an initial estimation of S$12 billion.
On 17 January 2013, Land Transport Authority announced 'Downtown Line Extension' which will run from Expo and through East Coast area. It is to be completed by 2025.
Read more about this topic: Downtown MRT Line
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