North-South Corridor Project and 68-74 Thomson Road

North-South Corridor Project and 68-74 Thomson Road

1.      The 21.5km North-South Corridor (NSC), which is expected to be completed in 2027, will directly connect the northern region to the city centre. It will support new developments in the northern region and relieve existing high traffic demand between North and South (e.g. on Central Expressway, Bukit Timah Expressway). Traffic will be channelled to viaducts and tunnels, freeing up at-grade road space for alternate uses, including community spaces, dedicated lanes for buses and paths for pedestrians and cyclists.

68-74 Thomson Road

2.      68-74 Thomson Road, a 57-year-old four-storey building, is located about six metres away from the upcoming NSC tunnel excavation works at the Thomson stretch of the NSC. It comprises 12 residential units and 4 commercial units. 

3.      Before the start of construction works in the vicinity, LTA-appointed Qualified Persons^[1] conducted an impact assessment study of the building in early 2020. The study indicated that the building’s foundation would need to be strengthened before the start of excavation works for NSC tunnel.

4.      To ensure safety during the strengthening works, LTA assisted the occupants to move out of the building. By February 2021, all occupants had moved out of the building and secured alternative places of residence or business.

5.      LTA conducted further detailed tests for due diligence to validate the concrete strength for the design of the strengthening works. These tests, which were invasive in nature, could only be conducted after the occupants had vacated their units. The test results indicated that the building’s concrete strength was lower than that needed to safely carry out the strengthening works.

6.      The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) conducted an independent inspection of the building in February 2021 and concurred with the Qualified Persons’ assessment that the building was safe for occupation if there was no major construction works in the vicinity. BCA also concurred with the Qualified Persons that it would be impractical and risky to carry out strengthening works on the building to withstand the excavation works for NSC tunnel.

Land Acquisition

 7.      The Government has therefore decided that for safety reasons, 68-74 Thomson Road has to be acquired and demolished before excavation works for the NSC tunnel near 68-74 Thomson Road can commence.

8.      The Singapore Land Authority has gazetted the acquisition of the affected land today. SLA and LTA will work closely with the affected owners and assist them through the acquisition process. 

9.      The notification of the land affected by the acquisition has been published in the Gazette on 16 Apr 2021. The Gazette Notification No. 0744 dated 6 Apr 2021 may be found online at www.egazette.com.sg. The affected private properties are listed below:

10.   The plan of the affected land may be inspected during normal office hours at the office of the Collector of Land Revenue, Singapore Land Authority from Monday to Friday except Public Holidays. Any person who wishes to claim an interest in compensation on account of the acquisition, but has not received an acquisition notice, may contact the office of the Collector of Land Revenue, Singapore Land Authority at 1800 323 9829 to arrange for an inquiry to state the nature of his interests in the land, the amount and particulars of his claims to compensation for his interest, the basis or mode of valuation by which the amount claimed is arrived at and his objections, if any, to the measurements of the land.

11.   Should you require additional information, you may also call the following hotlines:

i.               For matters on the North-South Corridor Project

Land Transport Authority (LTA):                            1800 2255 582

ii.              For matters on building safety

 Building and Construction Authority (BCA):        1800 3425 222

iii.             For matters on land acquisition matters                          

 Singapore Land Authority (SLA):                          1800 323 9829