The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) has announced that the Bukit Timah Railway Station and its adjacent railway land will be open to the general public from 16 September.
The public will have access to this stretch of the rail corridor for leisure activities. As soon as the railway tracks are removed, other segments of land will be gradually opened to the public.
According to Law Minister K Shanmugam, approximately 30 percent of the tracks have been dismantled.
The clearance works are part of the country’s agreement with Malaysia to remove the railway tracks and support structures of the KTM Railway by year’s end.
“A lot of people have asked us why we can’t preserve the railway tracks. I can understand that but it’s not possible simply because under the treaty, all of this belongs to Malaysia and we have to give it back to them,” said Mr Shanmugam, adding that some parts of the tracks are being preserved.
Mr Shanmugam reassured nature enthusiasts that no trees have been cut and vegetation clearing was kept to a minimum during the dismantlement process.
Bukit Timah Railway Station’s longer term plans will be part of the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) comprehensive review of the development plans of all former railway land and their neighbouring areas.
Minister of State for National Development Tan Chuan-Jin said that the URA will carry out a competition in 2012 to gather ideas for the redevelopment of the entire railway corridor.
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