Covid-19: Changi Airport Terminal 5, new MRT stations could be delayed if outbreak drags on

SINGAPORE — Project timelines for the construction of Changi Airport Terminal 5, Tuas Port, new MRT stations and the next-generation Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system could be delayed if the Covid-19 outbreak drags on. 

Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said this on Thursday (March 5) during his Ministry’s Committee of Supply debate, adding that the delay to project timelines “is still manageable” for now. 

The Government, he said, was tracking the impact of the outbreak on transport infrastructure projects here.

Covid-19 was still “wreaking havoc” around the world and as China — where the epicentre of the outbreak is — locks down, global supply chains are also disrupted, he noted.  

This would affect the supply of construction equipment and materials needed for transport projects here. 

New Bukit Panjang LRT and Thomson-East Coast Line trains are also being built in China.

Mr Khaw said that Singapore should “press on” with its infrastructure plans despite this and he takes the view that “the Covid-19 outbreak will burn out”.

“Sooner or later, our economy and our industries will recover. So while we attend to the immediate needs we should also focus on the eventual recovery and make full use of this lull period,” he said. 

The transport sector’s line-up of construction projects include getting a three-runway system at Changi Airport operational by the mid-2020s and having Tuas Port handle about 20 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers annually when phase one of operations becomes operational by 2027.

“Together, these investments will grow our external connectivity and seize growth in the global transport of goods and people,” he said.

Another international link to look into during this time is the proposed Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link project, which remains suspended until the end of this April, Mr Khaw added.

Calling the RTS Link “the answer” to move the needle meaningfully when it comes to addressing frequent Causeway jams, he said: “While we remain committed to working with Malaysia to find a way forward, the project cannot be suspended indefinitely. 

“We look forward to hearing from Malaysia.”

Meanwhile, Mr Khaw said that companies and workers should be positioned to ride on the inevitable upturn even as people telecommute more and go out less while fewer tourists arrive during this time.

He noted that bus, rail, taxi and private hire car ridership had fallen by about 20 per cent, airlines have cancelled over 20 per cent of their scheduled flights, passenger volume at Changi Airport has plunged by 25 per cent, and the cruise and ferry sectors are “devastated”.

But firms should use the opportunity to “transform and grow”, pointing out that industry transformation roadmaps for the air, land and sea transport sectors are available.

This includes accelerating the transformation of the rail workforce through the S$100 million rail manpower development package, he added.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan, Member of Parliament for Mountbatten, also asked if there is a chance that works to build the Thomson-East Coast Line can be completed before 2023.

To this, Mr Khaw said it is very difficult to expedite the MRT line’s building works any further as it is a complex project with many engineering and safety considerations. 

“Safety first… Don’t be too hasty. Deadlines are there. Certainly, we want it (to be up) as soon as possible, but never compromise on safety,” he added.