Channel created in Ulu Pandan Canal to prevent flooding after Clementi BTO landslide

SINGAPORE: The authorities have created a channel to allow water to flow through the Ulu Pandan canal after soil was displaced in a landslide at a Clementi Build-to-Order (BTO) project.

Senior Minister of State for National Development Sim Ann posted a video update on Facebook on Saturday (Sep 3) morning after visiting the site, noting that this will help prevent flooding.

The channel is part of ongoing works to mitigate flood risk at the canal, said Ms Sim, who is also the area’s Member of Parliament.

In her post, she thanked the workers, engineers and officers from various agencies – Housing and Development Board (HDB), PUB and the National Parks Board – for working late into the night to create the channel. 

The landslide occurred at about 2am on Friday near the construction site of Clementi NorthArc, causing damage to the Ulu Pandan park connector. A man sustained minor injuries from the incident. 

The Building and Construction Authority has issued a stop-work order for the affected location and the area around the site, including the part connector next to it, has been temporarily cordoned off.

In an update on Friday evening, HDB said that the “slope failure” had occurred where a retaining wall was being constructed to prepare for the building of a basketball court and pavilion in the area. 

Besides creating the channel to improve the flow of water through the canal to avoid flooding during heavy rains, the authorities will also apply a thin layer of concrete to stabilise the slope within the site.

PUB added on Friday that its quick response team vehicles are ready to be deployed in case there is flooding upstream of the canal. 

The completion date for Clementi NorthArc was originally supposed to be sometime in the third quarter of this year, but in April buyers were informed that this would be pushed back.

Ms Sim (PAP-Holland Bukit Timah) told reporters on Friday afternoon that according to HDB’s preliminary assessment, there will be no delays to key collection. Buyers would be able to collect their keys in December at the earliest.