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SINGAPORE : The Circle Line's 11 new MRT stations opened on Saturday to much fanfare.
As at 8pm Saturday, SMRT had a ridership of some 220,000.
SMRT said with the new stations, travel time can be reduced by over half an hour on certain routes, and commuters can save up to 41 per cent in adult fares.
The long wait is over for self-professed train enthusiast Ong You Yuan when the train rolled in at Paya Lebar Station.
"I waited five to six years, and finally it opened, so I want to catch the first train in the morning," said the 18-year-old Ong.
Over at the Stadium Station, Taiwanese pop band SHE got in on the act.
They were there for a meet-and-greet session with some 900 fans before performing later in the evening.
SMRT prepared for this surge in traffic.
"In Stadium (Station) itself, we are expecting a large crowd for the SHE event. We are putting in some 20-plus additional station personnel there to help out in the station management, passenger flows and the crowd control (issues)," said Chia Chun Wah, deputy director of Station Operations, SMRT Trains.
Previously, concert-goers had to go to the Kallang MRT Station, transfer to a bus or walk to reach the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Now, they can take the Circle Line service and alight at the Stadium Station, which is just a stone's throw away from one of the country's most popular concert venues.
And this is making some concert-goers, very happy.
"(With the) Circle Line, I can travel to Bishan (and) use the Circle (Line route) to travel here. It's faster and easier," said one member of the public.
"It used to take about one-plus hour, now only 16 minutes," said another.
SMRT expects daily ridership of about 200,000 with the 16 Circle Line stations now open. - CNA /ls
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