Media Releases
Joint LTA-SLA-BCA Media Release on North-South Corridor Project and 68-74 Thomson Road
16 April 2021
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Friday, 16 April 2021
The 21.5km North-South Corridor (NSC), which is expected to be completed in 2027, will directly connect the northern region to the city centre. It will support new developments in the northern region and relieve existing high traffic demand between North and South (e.g. on Central Expressway, Bukit Timah Expressway). Traffic will be channelled to viaducts and tunnels, freeing up at-grade road space for alternate uses, including community spaces, dedicated lanes for buses and paths for pedestrians and cyclists.
68-74 Thomson Road
68-74 Thomson Road, a 57-year-old four-storey building, is located about six metres away from the upcoming NSC tunnel excavation works at the Thomson stretch of the NSC. It comprises 12 residential units and 4 commercial units.
Before the start of construction works in the vicinity, LTA-appointed Qualified Persons[1] conducted an impact assessment study of the building in early 2020. The study indicated that the building’s foundation would need to be strengthened before the start of excavation works for NSC tunnel.
To ensure safety during the strengthening works, LTA assisted the occupants to move out of the building. By February 2021, all occupants had moved out of the building and secured alternative places of residence or business.
LTA conducted further detailed tests for due diligence to validate the concrete strength for the design of the strengthening works. These tests, which were invasive in nature, could only be conducted after the occupants had vacated their units. The test results indicated that the building’s concrete strength was lower than that needed to safely carry out the strengthening works.
The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) conducted an independent inspection of the building in February 2021 and concurred with the Qualified Persons’ assessment that the building was safe for occupation if there was no major construction works in the vicinity. BCA also concurred with the Qualified Persons that it would be impractical and risky to carry out strengthening works on the building to withstand the excavation works for NSC tunnel.
Land Acquisition
The Government has therefore decided that for safety reasons, 68-74 Thomson Road has to be acquired and demolished before excavation works for the NSC tunnel near 68-74 Thomson Road can commence.
The Singapore Land Authority has gazetted the acquisition of the affected land today. SLA and LTA will work closely with the affected owners and assist them through the acquisition process.
[1] Qualified professional engineers appointed by the developer to prepare plans for carrying out building works under the Building Control Act.