Hume station opens after years of 'patience and perseverance' from residents
Work to fully equip the station for operations began in January 2021, and Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat announced last month that the station will open ahead of schedule on Feb 28.
An artist impression of Hume MRT station on the Downtown Line. (Image: LTA)
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SINGAPORE: Hume Station opened to the public on Friday (Feb 28) after over a decade of “patience and perseverance” from residents, said Ms Low Yen Ling.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, she said that when the Downtown Line was first constructed, there was no MRT station slated for this area, and Hume station was a “shell station” with only structural provisions.
“However, it was the patient and persuasive requests of our people from 2012 to 2019 that won over the authorities,” said Ms Low, who is the Member of Parliament for the area under Chua Chu Kang Group Representation Constituency.
She also expressed her gratitude for various teams at the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Ministry of Transport (MOT), who had listened to her requests since 2012 over years of parliamentary debates.
“We built up our case. We persevered and we are very grateful to LTA and MOT for hearing us out,” said Ms Low, who is also Mayor of South West District.
She added that she was “particularly grateful” to then-Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan.
“(His) guidance and foresight led LTA to see the needs and promising potential of the Hume area,” she said.
It was in March 2019 that MOT and LTA announced that Hume MRT station will be built, she noted.
She added that the Hume area was not only home to a growing population that continues to increase today, but also has historical significance and promising growth potential.
“We are very excited to see how the potential in our estate will continue to be unleashed by the ease of travel and easy commute brought by the opening of Hume Station,” she said.
She added that the opening of the station would not have been possible without the people behind its construction.
Work to fully equip the station for operations began in January 2021, and Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat announced last month that the station will open ahead of schedule on Friday.
She noted that to avoid disruptions and for safety reasons, builders had to overcome many challenges such as work at odd hours after the line had closed, from 1.30am to 4.30am.
“Dear residents … we want to thank you for your tremendous patience,” said Ms Low.
“Our collective perseverance has really helped unlock potential growth and new possibilities for our estate.”
WHAT COMMUTERS CAN EXPECT
Hume station opened its doors at 3pm on Friday.
When CNA arrived at the station at 3pm, hundreds of commuters were already at the station, awaiting the start of the opening ceremony.
Transport operator for the station, SBS Transit, handed out miniature paper cut out train models to commuters present.
Hume Station has two entrances: One facing Upper Bukit Timah Road and another facing Hume Avenue. Covered linkways provide sheltered access to nearby bus stops and pick-up and drop-off points.
For cyclists, the station has 60 bicycle parking lots near its entrances.
Accessibility features at the station include mirrors inside lifts to assist wheelchair users in reversing out, along with centrally positioned lift buttons for easier reach.
The station has achieved the BCA Green Mark Gold certification for its green features, such as solar panels on the rooftop, energy-efficient lighting and a hybrid cooling system.
With the completion of Hume station, the DTL now has a total of 35 operational stations.
