My Parliamentary colleagues,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

1          Good morning to all of you.  I am happy to be here today to launch the construction of the Boon Lay MRT Extension.  Where we are standing today is actually a historical location in Singapore.  This is where the arch of the old Nantah or Nanyang University still stands.  In the same way that the Nantah arch occupied an important place in the hearts of the older generation, I believe Singaporeans who work and live in the area will, in the future, think positively of the Boon Lay Extension and the convenience that it will bring.

2          Today, Jurong West is a vibrant and bustling town.  Due to the efforts of the various land development agencies in recent years, residents in Jurong West now enjoy the benefits from many new facilities and public amenities such as a new Community Club and the Taman Jurong Market and Food Centre that comes with a new multi-storey carpark.  This will no doubt increase the attractiveness of the town, and draw more people to the area.  In time to come, the demand for transportation facilities will definitely increase.

Improving the Public Transport Network

3          Currently, Jurong West is served by two MRT Stations – Lakeside and Boon Lay.  Residents in this area and those working in the Jurong Industrial Estate are also served by the very busy Boon Lay bus interchange. Those of you who use the MRT or bus interchange during the morning and evening peak hours will definitely agree with me that you can feel the pulse and energy of the community just by looking at the throngs of commuters going through them.  This congested situation is something that both the Ministry and LTA are aware of, and have in fact been monitoring for some years already.

4          It was with this in mind that the decision to build the Boon Lay MRT Extension (BLE for short) was made in 2004.  The BLE, to be built at an estimated cost of $436 million, has been designed to meet the current and projected future demand for public transport in the Jurong West area.  It will add 3.8 km and another 2 stations to the existing East-West Line.  When BLE becomes operational in 2009, residents in the south western part of Jurong West will be able to access the MRT system more directly with a new MRT station located at Street 63.

5          The BLE would also make commuting easier for those who work in the Jurong Industrial Estate. With the BLE, the travel time to the Jurong Industrial Estate is expected to be reduced by up to 15 minutes, a 25% to 30% reduction compared to the current bus journey from Boon Lay MRT station which takes 45 minutes to an hour during the morning peak hours. This improvement will also make it easier for employers there to attract and retain employees.  With the extension of the East-West MRT line westward into the Joo Koon Circle area, public transport accessibility to Tuas Industrial Estate will also improve as we have plans to build a bus interchange near the new MRT station.  The new bus interchange will house bus services that will cover the whole of Tuas Industrial Estate and provide greater accessibility and convenience to workers there.

6          I am pleased to announce today that names for these two stations have been approved by the Street and Building Names Board.  The first station located at Jurong West Street 63, near the junction at Pioneer Road North will be called Pioneer Station, and the second station at Joo Koon Circle, adjacent to the junction at Benoi Road will be called Joo Koon Station.

7          These are the artist’s impressions of how the two stations would look when completed.   In addition to the new design, the stations will also be elderly-friendly, offering barrier-free access, not just to the wheelchair users, but also to the visually impaired.  This is in accordance with the Code on Barrier-Free Accessibility in Buildings which we had adopted for the North East Line and the Punggol and Sengkang LRTs. 

In Partnership with the Community

8          In the course of the construction, I would like to seek the support, cooperation and understanding of the residents and the community.  As with any construction work, it is inevitable that there will be some noise, dust, road diversions and other inconveniences.  I am sure that LTA and its contractors would bear in mind these concerns and endeavour to minimize the impact and inconvenience to the residents, as they proceed with the works in a safe and efficient manner.  LTA will be working closely with the various agencies such as HDB, JTC, NParks, the West Coast-Ayer Rajah Town Council and grassroots organizations in carrying out the works.  With the community’s support and patience, I am sure the BLE construction will be carried out smoothly and efficiently.  Let us look forward to the opening of the Boon Lay MRT Extension in 2009.  

9          Thank you.