Road raising work to be carried out at Dunearn Road as 'interim measure' against flood risks: PUB
SINGAPORE: Road raising work will be carried out at a 450m section of Dunearn Road as an "interim measure" to mitigate flood risks as an ongoing drainage is being completed, said national water agency PUB on Saturday (Aug 28).
The road raising work is expected to be completed by November this year, said PUB.
On Tuesday, a flash flood occurred along a stretch of Dunearn Road from Sime Darby Centre to Binjai Park due to intense rainfall.
The rain "temporarily overwhelmed the drainage capacity at a section of Bukit Timah Canal", said PUB in the statement.
The location was a known flooding hotspot and there is "an ongoing drainage improvement project to address the problem", said PUB.
"PUB is in the midst of widening and deepening a 900m section of the Bukit Timah Canal from Rifle Range Road to Jalan Kampong Chantek to expand its drainage capacity," it added.
Works for the project started in 2019 and are expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2024.
The completed upgraded canal will "enhance flood protection for the surrounding area including Dunearn Road, and reduce the risk of flash floods occurring", said PUB.
PUB said that over the last decade it has made "significant investments" in improving flood resilience for the upper Bukit Timah area.
In 2013, a portion of Bukit Timah Canal from Sixth Avenue to Jalan Kampong Chantek was expanded. In 2019, upgrading work on the Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal was completed to enable it to convey 30 per cent more rainwater.
"Both drainage projects have helped to drastically reduce flood risks along Bukit Timah Road between Jalan Kampong Chantek and Maple Avenue, and Dunearn Road between Swiss Club Road and Sixth Avenue," said PUB.
It added that since the Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal was upgraded, it was also working as intended and has been able to cope with increased rainfall.
The flood risk for the stretch upstream from Rifle Range Road to Jalan Kampong Chantek, where Tuesday's flash flood occurred, will be similarly moderated once works over there are completed, said PUB.
NOT ALWAYS FEASIBLE TO EXPAND DRAINS: PUB
In its statement, PUB said that it was not always feasible to expand Singapore's drains "to cater to every extreme rain event due to land constraints".
"PUB has a comprehensive flood management strategy, including the monitoring of road conditions and water level in our drains and canals through an extensive network of water level sensors and CCTV cameras.
"We also leverage radar technology to forecast potential flash flood locations, so as to quickly deploy our quick response teams across the island," said PUB.
"They help to keep public out of harm’s way by directing traffic away from floodwaters and assisting stranded pedestrians or motorists."
On Tuesday, PUB issued flood risk warnings for several locations, including the Upper Bukit Timah area, Woodlands and Sunset Drive.
PUB said the heaviest rainfall recorded in western Singapore on Tuesday was 159.8mm at Bukit Panjang Road rainfall station from 7.50am to 10.40am.
