9 January 2012 - The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) has completed removal works along the former railway land. The railway tracks and ancillary structures were handed over to Malaysia on schedule by 31 December 2011, as agreed. The land has been levelled and turfed.

2. From today onwards, the public can enjoy free access to the Rail Corridor, with the exception of three sites along the Rail Corridor and the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station (TPRS).

Three new community use sites

3. Following the opening of the former Bukit Timah Railway Station and railway land extending 1.4km southwards from the steel bridge along Bukit Timah Road to the public on 16 September 2011, SLA has identified three sites along the Rail Corridor and adjacent vacant state land for interim community use. These sites are near Jalan Hang Jebat, Ghim Moh Road and Kampong Bahru Flyover. Maps showing the locations of the community use sites are at Annex A.

4. SLA is carrying out improvement works at these sites, which have been cordoned off for safety reasons. The sites will be progressively opened for interim community use from April 2012. The public will be able to enjoy free access to these sites for recreational activities with no advance booking required. These sites will be available until the long term development plans for the Rail Corridor and its immediate surroundings have been determined. More information on community use sites can be found here.

Tanjong Pagar Railway Station

5. TPRS will remain closed at this time to enable SLA to carry out maintenance works and structural inspection. Information on its re-opening will be provided to the public in due course.

6. The public are advised to exercise caution and be responsible for their own safety when accessing the Rail Corridor. They are also reminded not to litter or deface the railway structures.

Development plans for the Rail Corridor

7. The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) is undertaking a comprehensive review of development plans for the former railway land and their surrounding areas. As part of its review, URA will study the proposal to maintain a continuous green link along the Rail Corridor while balancing the need for development. The public is welcome to provide suggestions and ideas on the future use of the Rail Corridor to enhance our living environment. For more information, please log onto http://www.ura.gov.sg/railcorridor.

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Issued by:
The Singapore Land Authority
9 January 2012

About SLA
Singapore Land Authority (SLA) is a statutory board with the Ministry of Law. Its mission is to optimise land resources for the economic and social development of Singapore. SLA is responsible for the direct management of some 14,000 hectares of State land and about 5,000 buildings. It is also in charge of land sales, leases, acquisitions and allocation, developing and marketing land-related information, and maintaining the national land information database through digitised land information services. SLA is also the national land registration authority for property transactions, and the issuance and guarantee of land titles in Singapore. It also manages and maintains the national land survey system, including the defining of boundaries or legal limits of properties based on a coordinated cadastre survey system. For more details, visit www.sla.gov.sg.