Stages 1 & 2 of Circle Line to open in first half of 2010
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 30 August 2009 2018 hrs
SINGAPORE: The next phase of the Circle Line – Stages 1 and 2 – will start operations in the first half of 2010. Transport Minister Raymond Lim revealed this at a dialogue session in Bukit Panjang on Sunday.
Its exact opening date, however, will only be finalised after engineers complete the necessary tests.
The first five stations on the Circle Line opened for service on May 28. Even though ridership has not been as high as initially projected on the 5.7-kilometre stretch, this could change with the opening of 11 new stations next year.
Stage 1 of the Circle Line starts from Dhoby Ghaut, through MRT stations like Esplanade and Nicoll Highway, and ends at Stadium, while Stage 2 starts from Mountbatten, through interchange station Paya Lebar, and ends at Tai Seng.
The other 13 stations from Marymount to Harbourfront will be ready by 2011. Daily ridership of this 33.3-kilometre line is estimated to be close to half a million when it is fully operational.