Bukit Timah residents grapple with nine-year Cross Island Line disruption

For the past two years, Ng Mei Lin has watched her morning commute grow increasingly complicated. The 56-year-old nurse who lives in Tiong Bahru and works at Tan Tock Seng Hospital now budgets an extra 25 minutes daily as construction crews work on Phase 2 of the Cross Island Line (CIL), expected to reach her neighbourhood by 2033.

"When they first announced this route, I was excited," she says, standing near the construction hoarding on Tiong Bahru Road. "But nine years is a very long time. My children will have grown up by the time this station opens."

Ng's sentiment echoes across multiple communities along the CIL corridor. The 50-kilometre line, Singapore's longest planned MRT project, will eventually connect Pasir Ris to Tuas with 12 stations. Phase 1, spanning from Pasir Ris to Bright Hill, is already underway and expected to open in 2031. Yet residents in Bukit Timah, Clementi, and Jurong have entered what transport experts call the "long construction period."

At Holland Village, a popular dining and retail hub, business owners report mixed experiences. The Singapore Business Federation noted in April that 40 per cent of small enterprises along major transport corridors experienced reduced footfall during construction phases. Seng Huat Coffee Shop, operating at Holland Drive since 1982, has seen customer numbers fluctuate dramatically depending on road access restrictions.

"During school holidays, we lose maybe 30 per cent of our regulars," says owner Tan Chee Kiang, 64. "Families avoid the area because getting here is troublesome. We hope when the station finally opens, it brings new customers, but we must survive until then."

Not all feedback is negative. At a community dialogue held by Clementi GRC in May, younger residents expressed optimism about eventual connectivity improvements. Housing values in Clementi appreciated 8.4 per cent year-on-year through 2025, partly attributed to anticipated MRT access, according to property consultancy Knight Frank.

The Land Transport Authority has implemented noise barriers and traffic management plans, but community leaders say communication gaps persist. Residents want clearer timelines for individual neighbourhoods and concrete support packages for affected businesses. The CIL's cumulative cost of $30 billion positions it as Singapore's most expensive transport project to date.

"Infrastructure is essential for our city," reflects Clementi resident Wong Siew Peng, 41. "We accept the disruption. We just want transparency and to feel the government acknowledges what we're going through."

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