Semb E&C wins $463m MRT deal

SEMBAWANG Engineers & Constructors has won a $463 million contract to build the Downtown Line's Bayfront MRT station in Marina Bay.

The Land Transport Authority yesterday said it awarded the civil works contract to Sembawang E&C in atender and the contract includes the architectural, civil and structural works for the station as well as two pairs of tunnels.

Bayfront is one of the six stations in the first stage of the 40 km Downtown Line, which will connect thenorth-western and eastern parts of Singapore to the Central Business District and Marina Bay. The station will serve as an interchange station for the Circle and Downtown lines with the station's twin-stacked tunnels connected to the Marina Bay andLandmark stations.
The Downtown Line will also be a strategic transport link to support the Marina Bay area and its developments, such as the integrated resort, the financial centre and the Gardens by the Bay.
The line will run largelyunderground with a fully automated system and it will be built in three stages. The first stage is 4.3 km long and will link the East-West MRT Line's Bugis station to the North-East Line's Chinatown station. LTA says physical works will begin inend-2007 and completion is expected in 2013.

Sembawang E&C is one of the largest engineering and construction companies in South-east Asia and is currently involved in the construction of three stations on the Circle Line, as well as thefit-out works for another.

'Bayfront will be one of the first stations to open in the Downtown Line,' said Alwyn Bowden, president and CEO of Sembawang E&C. 'Being a fast-paced project, our schedule will require 24-hour work days for thestation to be completed in time for the opening of Marina Sands IR.'