The upcoming HDB estate in Bidadari will house the first underground air-conditioned bus interchange in Singapore, according to media reports.
Based on plans shown to reporters, the facility will be “tucked away and hidden from street view”. Located next to Woodleigh MRT station and flanked by blocks of flats, it will be built below a parking lot and neighbourhood garden.
The facility is expected to be completed by 2019 and will cater to five bus services.
“With the bus interchange right on their doorstep, there is no reason not to take public transport,” said National University of Singapore (NUS) professor and transport researcher Lee Der Horng. It will also provide more convenience to HDB residents, as most do not drive.
However, the facility could also create more noise and air pollution, said property expert Ku Swee Yong. “The construction and maintenance costs for underground facilities are higher, not to mention the electricity bill for air-conditioning,” he added.
Nevertheless, Lee believes that these problems can be minimised with the help of technology, and the convenience offered by the facility is worth it.
Apart from the bus interchange, the integrated project will also include a foodcourt and 360 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats, split evenly into three- and four-room units. The flats are scheduled to be unveiled in August 2015, with construction commencing in 2016.
Additionally, the HDB blocks will be fitted with eco-friendly features such as staircases with LED lights and elevators partially powered by batteries charged by the lifts’ own movements, just like in hybrid cars.
In total, about 1,000 private houses and 10,000 HDB flats are set to be built on the vast former cemetery grounds in Bidadari.
Image (by HDB): An aerial view of Bidadari
Muneerah Bee, Senior Journalist at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact her about this or other stories email muneerah@propertyguru.com.sg
