Plan ahead for future MRT interchange stations

Published in Straits Times Forum Page, 19 June 2010

When the MRT system was developed three decades ago, the planners did a great job in designing the interchange station at City Hall and Raffles Place. It is easy for the commuter to change train by walking to the platform within a short distance.

However, the planners did not plan ahead for the expansion of the MRT system.

When the North East and Circle Lines were developed later, the platforms for these lines at the interchange stations had to be located quite far away, due to engineering and safety issues. Commuters have to walk quite a long distance to transfer from one line to another at the Dhoby Ghaut and other interchange stations.

As we are building new lines for the MRT system, it is better to plan ahead for future interchange stations, including those that are not on the drawing board now.

I suggest that every third station on a new line should be planned ahead as an interchange station, using the design of City Hall. This will make it easy to connect a new line in the future. Although this may increase the cost marginally, it can be recouped from the cost savings in the future. The convenience to the commuters will be immense.

Tan Kin Lian