Jurong West - History

History

In the 1950s, Jurong West was mainly dominated by swamps with low hills covered by shrubs and a thick jungle. It was developed into an industrial estate in the 1960s, supported by low-cost housing. Amenities such as government dispensaries, a private hospital, creches, hawker centres and banks were built in the 1970s during efforts to develop Singapore economically.

Up to the late 1980s, only part of the Jurong West housing estate had been developed, specifically the area between Boon Lay estate and Jurong East. In the early 1990s, a new section of Pioneer Road North was built to connect the present Jurong West Extension to Upper Jurong Road. This signalled the start of the development of Jurong West Extension. Today, the area is also served by the PIE which was extended to Tuas from Corporation Road, also in the early 1990s.

Though a single neighborhood, Jurong West is divided into 3 GRCs and 1 SMC and with 3 Town Councils managing different parts of the neighborhood, namely the Jurong Town Council, West Coast Town Council and Chua Chu Kang Town Council.

Nonetheless, though divided into smaller constituencies, the neighborhood is collectively managed by the PAP.

Located next to the Jurong Industrial Estate, managed by JTC, it is common to find foreign workers hanging out in the neighborhood and influx of foreign workers and foreign expatriates in the region has been a concern among the residents in the area.