Regular services on the East-West Line to resume on Dec 8

SINGAPORE: Regular train services will resume on the East West Line (EWL) on Monday (Dec 8), one day ahead of schedule. 

Trains have not been running between Bedok and Tampines stations, as well as between Tanah Merah and Expo stations since Nov 29. This is to facilitate track connection works to the new East Coast Integrated Depot.

The works had been expected to be completed by Monday, with normal services resuming by Dec 9. 

In an update on Sunday, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said normal train services would resume on Monday at the start of passenger service hours. 

“We’ve laid new tracks to connect the EWL to the East Coast Integrated Depot and to the new platform at Tanah Merah station,” it said in a Facebook post.

“We’ve completed comprehensive testing, including safety and ultrasonic checks on the tracks, power supply, and train signalling systems,” it added. 

The closure was part of the second phase to connect the EWL to the East Coast Integrated Depot. The phase involves 12 worksites, compared with just one during the first phase in December last year, which saw a three-day suspension of services.

The 4.8km stretch required an uninterrupted closure to ensure safe installation.

LTA previously said that connecting the EWL to the depot will contribute to the overall reliability of the rail network by providing an alternative launch point for trains. This will allow greater flexibility in adjusting services and responding to incidents, it said.

Once completed, the depot will serve the EWL, Thomson-East Coast Line and Downtown Line, integrating three train depots and one bus depot. 

Changi Depot, which currently serves the EWL, will be fully decommissioned in the final phase of works in the first half of next year, with operations fully shifted to the East Coast Integrated Depot.

LTA also reminded commuters that a new platform would be open at Tanah Merah station from Monday. 

The platform will be open for eastbound trains heading towards Pasir Ris. 

This means that commuters travelling from Expo or Changi Airport and transferring at Tanah Merah towards Pasir Ris or vice versa will have to go down to the station concourse and then go up to the new platform – a change from the previous cross-platform transfer.

Westbound commuters heading towards Tuas Link will not be affected.