Stage 2 of line, comprising six stations from Springleaf to Caldecott, started passenger service in August 2021, adding to the three stations in Woodlands that opened in 2020.
The entire TEL – comprising 32 stations with eight interchange stations – was initially expected to be fully operational in 2024. The MRT line stretches to the eastern part of Singapore, including Bayshore, Siglap and Marine Parade.
However, the timeline for completion had been pushed back.
The opening of stage 2, for instance, was delayed twice – first due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The second delay came after the Land Transport Authority conducted a system review following a five-hour disruption on the line in December 2020 due to a signalling fault.
Once the line is fully completed, more than 240,000 households will be within a 10-minute walk from a TEL station, said Transport Minister S Iswaran in a Facebook post on Wednesday.
“Over the next few months, SMRT will carry out further tests, to ensure that all systems are operationally ready for service by end of this year,” he added.