North East Line
The North East Line is a high-capacity Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore. Operated by SBS Transit, the line is the MRT's shortest. It runs from HarbourFront station in southern Singapore to Punggol Coast station in the northeast, serving 17 stations via Chinatown, Little India, Serangoon and Hougang. Coloured purple on official maps, it is Singapore's third MRT line and the world's first fully-automated underground driverless heavy rail line.
The NEL was planned during the 1980s to alleviate traffic congestion on roads leading to the northeast suburbs of the country. However, the project was delayed due to a lack of demand at that time. After the government's decision to go ahead with the project at an estimated cost of, its alignment and stations were finalised in 1996 and construction began the year after. The line began operations on 20 June 2003. Two mid-line stations initially did not open with the rest of the line; Buangkok station opened on 15 January 2006, and Woodleigh station began operations on 20 June 2011. A one-station extension to Punggol Coast station opened on 10 December 2024.
The driverless line uses the moving-block Alstom Urbalis 300 CBTC signalling system. Three types of Alstom rolling stock – C751A, C751C and C851E – run on the NEL, which is powered by an overhead line. The NEL is Singapore's first Art-in-Transit line, with 19 artworks displayed across its 17 stations. The stations are wheelchair-accessible, and most of them are Civil Defence shelters designed to withstand airstrikes and chemical attacks.
History
Planning
The Mass Rapid Transit Corporation first proposed an additional MRT line serving the northeastern areas of Punggol and Jalan Kayu in September 1984. In its preliminary studies, the Communications Ministry concluded that existing roads would be inadequate for projected traffic into housing estates set to be built in the 21st century. To minimise the impact on other development, the Ministry developed plans to determine which parcels of land would be needed for the new MRT project. In December of that year, a British consultancy team consisting of Sir William Halcrow and Partners, Merz & McLellan and London Transport International was appointed by the MRTC to look into possible routes for the line.In March 1986, the British consultants drew up a tentative route from Outram Park to Punggol. The line would connect to the existing MRT system at Dhoby Ghaut station and pass through Kandang Kerbau and Hougang, paralleling the major Serangoon and Upper Serangoon Roads. A branch line from Hougang to Jalan Kayu was also proposed. The segment of the line in the city would be underground, and the northern portion after Braddell Road would be elevated.
The MRTC, which approved the project in October 1986, proposed that the line link to Bishan Depot. In February 1991, a proposal was made to extend the line to Pulau Tekong via Pulau Ubin to serve future residential and industrial developments in the long-term plans for these islands.
Delay
Although the government approved the NEL "in principle" in January 1989, Communications Minister Yeo Ning Hong said that the line's construction was dependent on development in the northeast. The Woodlands extension, which cost S$1.35 billion, took precedence over the S$4.3 billion NEL. According to Yeo's successor, Mah Bow Tan, there were firmer plans for development around the Woodlands extension, unlike in the northeast, where the low population meant that the NEL would not be as cost-effective. The four Members of Parliament for the northeast called for the line to be built sooner, saying that there would be sufficient demand and it would relieve traffic congestion.Reviewing the line's feasibility, the Communications Ministry said in 1995 that the NEL could be completed in 2002 if construction began promptly. It was projected to cost S$5 billion and would operate at a loss of S$250 million during its first four years, with lower daily passenger numbers. The ministry recommended the construction of the NEL to the Cabinet, citing "wider benefits" such as reduced travelling time and reliance on cars.
Mah, engaging with grassroots leaders in October 1995, said that residents would have to be prepared to pay higher fares on the NEL to cover the line's cost and initial losses. His position was divisive; some leaders felt that it would be unfair to the residents, and others were confident that residents would be willing "to pay for a better quality of life". Increased fares for the entire network were also suggested, but Mah said that it would be more difficult to implement. He assured leaders that he would recommend construction of the line to the government.
A white paper released on 2 January 1996 said that the NEL would be built earlier to address congestion in the northeast corridor, which would also be relieved by express bus service. The government's announcement during a 19 January parliamentary debate on the report that it had decided to build the NEL "immediately" was greeted with applause.
Construction and opening
| Date | Project | Description |
| 20 June 2003 | North East Line | HarbourFront – Punggol |
| 15 January 2006 | North East Line | Opening of Buangkok station |
| 20 June 2011 | North East Line | Opening of Woodleigh station |
| 10 December 2024 | North East Line Extension | Punggol – Punggol Coast |
The 16 NEL stations and their locations were announced on 4 March 1996. Many residents and politicians welcomed the announcement, since the line was expected to relieve traffic congestion, improve transport in the northeast and stimulate development around the stations. Thirteen civil contracts for track work and construction of the stations, Sengkang Depot and associated tunnels were awarded for a total of S$2.8 billion. Sixteen more contracts related to electrical and mechanical work were awarded for a total of S$1 billion.
To construct the line, of private land was acquired and of government land was returned to the state. Several rental HDB blocks, private homes and shops were acquired, dismaying many affected residents. Those who had been asked to relocate in July 1996 requested more time to find new premises.
Construction of the line began with a groundbreaking ceremony at Farrer Park station on 25 November 1997. On 20 May 1999, SBS Transit was appointed to operate the line along with the Sengkang and Punggol LRT system. Parsons Brinckerhoff was appointed to be the consultant for the line's engineering and design.
Construction challenges on the line included diverting the Eu Tong Seng canal for construction of the Chinatown station, and avoiding flooding the tunnels and stations while boring tunnels under the Singapore River between the Clarke Quay and Dhoby Ghaut stations. At the Outram Park station, an arched roof of cement-filled steel pipes was laid underneath the EWL tunnels to minimise movement. Jet-grout arches were used to support the North–South Line tunnels when explosives were used to remove rock while tunnelling from Clarke Quay to Dhoby Ghaut. Roads around the line had to be temporarily diverted for construction.
When the 16 stations were announced, Potong Pasir, Woodleigh and Punggol were planned to be built as shell stations due to lack of development around the station sites. It was later decided to build these stations in full as it would have been more costly to wait until later to complete the stations from the structural shells. In 1998, the timeline for Punggol station was moved up because of planned housing developments in the area. The decision not to build Sennett station generated political controversy, however, with claims by residents and opposition MP Chiam See Tong that the station would only open if the ruling People's Action Party secured the constituency. In 2002, after a revised ridership study, the government decided to open the station with the other NEL stations due to projected developments around the site; the station also received its present name.
The NEL was initially expected to be completed by the end of 2002, with SBS staff trained in train maintenance and other technical aspects of the automated system. However, the Land Transport Authority said in September 2002 that the line might be opened in April 2003 to allow sufficient time for testing. The line's systems were handed over to SBS Transit on 16 December, and the operator conducted further tests. The NEL's opening was delayed until June due to a glitch in the signalling system, however, with tests briefly handed over to the LTA. Since it had to bear the costs of maintenance and manpower, SBS Transit sought compensation from the government for the delay.
Except for two stations, the NEL began operations on 20 June 2003. About 140,000 people rode the line on its opening day. Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong visited the NEL on 28 June 2003 and travelled between Sengkang and Chinatown station. The line's opening ceremony was held on 28 August by Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Although the NEL has experienced a few glitches since its opening, it has been reliable and generally well-received by commuters. The International Association of Public Transport called the NEL a model public-transport system for the future in July 2003, with other driverless systems planned around the world. SBS Transit reported in June 2004 that the line averaged one 15-minute delay every six weeks, compared to expected twice-a-week delays. Average daily ridership has risen to 174,000 in 2004, with highest at 268,000 during Lunar New Year celebrations on 3 January that year.
Opening of reserved stations
On 17 June 2003, SBS Transit announced that the Woodleigh and Buangkok stations would not open with the other NEL stations. Due to the lack of development, the operator said keeping the stations closed would reduce operating costs by S$2–3 million. At the time, housing demand declined due to the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the economic downturn following the September 11 attacks. Consequently, the Housing and Development Board cut back on its development plans in the Singapore northeast area. Residents around the line were upset by the sudden decision to keep Buangkok station closed, since they had been assured by MPs and grassroots leaders that it would be opened.The government initially stood by SBS Transit's decision to keep the station closed, planning to open it in 2006 when more residential flats would be in the area. The opening was further postponed to 2008, following projected housing-development plans for the area. In August 2005, during a visit by youth minister Vivian Balakrishnan visit to Punggol South, eight white cardboard elephants were put up in protest, and a grass-roots leader was sternly warned after a police investigation into the incident. Following another evaluation by the LTA, SBS Transit announced at the end of 2005 that it would open the station on 15 January 2006.
The Buangkok station opened as scheduled "with much fanfare". Since its opening, however, the station averaged only 1,386 daily riders instead of the expected 6,000. Many residents still traveled to the adjacent Sengkang and Hougang stations due to their amenities. SBS Transit, after saying that it was still "too early to draw a conclusion" about ridership, remained committed to keeping the station open to serve future developments nearby.
Woodleigh station, built near the former Bidadari cemetery, was scheduled to open seven or eight years after the rest of the line. In January 2011, The Straits Times reported that preparations for the station's opening had been ongoing since the second half of 2010; the newspaper speculated that the station would open in mid-2011 to serve new developments in the area. In a March parliamentary session, Transport Minister Raymond Lim confirmed that the station would open on 20 June 2011. SBS deployed several staff members to assist confused commuters who alighted at Woodleigh station instead of the adjacent Serangoon station. Others alighted to view the station's interior or try an alternative route from the station.