Tanjong Katong Road South Sinkhole: Enforcement Actions To Be Taken Against Project Parties

About the Incident

The incident occurred next to a worksite along Tanjong Katong Road South, which involved the construction of a shaft to connect three new sewer pipelines. The construction works included soil strengthening works using Jet Grout Piles and the casting of reinforced concrete caisson rings.

On 26 July 2025 at about 5.50pm, part of the shaft that was under construction allegedly failed, leading to soil ingress into the shaft. Around the same time, a sinkhole formed at Tanjong Katong Road South, and a car and its driver fell into it. The driver was rescued by workers from the worksite and taken conscious to the hospital.

Details of Enforcement Actions

Charges have been brought against seven parties, namely:

• the builder Ohin Construction Co Pte Ltd and its managing director Ong Khiaw Yang Ivan, project director Raajkumar s/o Nadarajan, and project manager Sellappan Saravanakumar;

• the Qualified Persons Kee Chen Siang and Yau Tze Yin; and

• the resident engineer Senthilnathan Mathyalakan.

The alleged offending conduct include:

• Unauthorised and non-compliant works – Unauthorised building works and road resurfacing were carried out. The works did not comply with approved plans. The works also proceeded without adequate risk assessment and adequate safe work procedure.

• Licensing and supervisory failures – Specialist building works were carried out without the requisite licence. There were failures in the discharge of supervisory duties.

• Testing and monitoring lapses – Mandatory tests that were stipulated under the approved plans were not carried out. An operational video surveillance system was not maintained at the worksite at the time of the incident.

• Failure to notify authorities and false declarations – The relevant authorities were not notified of the road depression that had occurred prior to the sinkhole formation. There were false declarations regarding the appointment of a site supervisor.

Further, conditional warnings have been administered against two parties (PUB and Surbana Jurong Consultants Pte Ltd) for offences under the Building Control Act.

Works for this project remain halted till today. For works to resume, the new project parties to be appointed by PUB will have to submit new structural plans, which will be subjected to comprehensive safety assessments and approval by the BCA Commissioner of Building Control.

Upholding Public Safety Standards

The Building Control Act and Regulations require project parties to take reasonable steps to carry out their duties diligently and to ensure that the works are carried out safely. Project parties should act on these duties in a timely and coordinated manner. After this incident, BCA conducted a thorough review of more than 60 similar ongoing projects, and found no safety issues, with adequate safeguards in place across all projects. BCA had also issued an Advisory to remind the industry to exercise due diligence in all similar construction projects.

The Workplace Safety and Health Act requires stakeholders to take reasonably practicable measures to ensure the safety and health of persons who may be affected by work activities. Contractors and individuals are expected to fulfil their safety duties to protect the lives and well-being of workers and members of public. Since the incident, MOM had conducted inspections on various construction sites and taken enforcement actions for safety lapses, including those related to excavation works. Advisories had also been issued to contractors and professionals to be mindful of workers' safety and health in construction sites. MOM will continue with our inspections on construction worksites and take firm enforcement action against companies and individuals who fail to comply with workplace safety and health requirements.

All parties involved in road works must obtain the necessary permits from LTA and comply fully with regulatory requirements before commencing any works.

BCA, MOM, and LTA take a serious view of any safety or compliance breaches that place the public at risk. This incident demonstrates the critical importance of proper supervision and adherence to safety protocols. Enforcement action will be taken against public sector agencies, companies and individuals who fail to fulfil their statutory duties.

[1] Jet Grout Piles area grouting technique using high-pressure water to cut the soil skeleton, followed by injecting cement grout in-situ to strengthen the soil.
[2 ]A reinforced concrete caisson ring is a reinforced concrete structure that provides structural support for deep excavations. These rings are installed progressively as excavation deepens to prevent soil collapse.

Download the PDF version of the media release here [PDF, 316.26 KB]