Cross Island Line Construction: CRL - A snapshot in October 2025

Overview of CRL1 stations CR4 - CR12 as at October 2025.
Top (L - R): CR4 – Pasir Ris East, CR5/CP1 – Pasir Ris, CR6 – Tampines North
Middle (L - R): CR7 – Defu, CR8 – Hougang, CR9 – Serangoon North
Bottom (L - R): CR10 – Tavistock, CR11 – Ang Mo Kio, CR12 – Teck Ghee

Overview of CPE stations CP2 - CP4 & CRL2 stations CR16 - CR19 as at October 2025.
Top (L - R): CP2 – Elias, CP3 – Riviera, CP4 – Punggol
Middle (L - R): CR16 – Maju, CR207 – Twin bored tunnels, CR17 – Clementi
Bottom (L - R): CR18 – West Coast, CR210 – Twin bored tunnels, CR19 – Jurong Lake District

It's been a while since we've done such an extensive coverage of the Cross Island Line (CRL) across its three current phases that have been announced thus far, hence we thought we'd let October be our month of diversity. Updates for this month stretch from Pasir Ris East all the way to Punggol & Jurong Lake District. If you've been curious on how things were progressing, this post is for you. Do be ready, this update's kind of MEGA.

Phase 1
Work under this phase has been moving rather quickly. While several stations remain in the earth retention & stabilising system (ERSS) construction phase, a number have also commenced excavation within the station box. We'll dive into these in greater detail later on, but first, an update on the tunneling along this section.

Tunneling works under the first phase between Aviation Park and Bright Hill have been progressing well. Over the past 2 months since our last update, contract CR111 has seen the completion of the first tunnel drive for the westbound tunnels. The number of completed tunnels under phase 1 currently stands at 6 of 29 tunnels, roughly at about 20% completion. Several more tunnels are nearly completed, with the tunnel boring machines (TBMs) making quick work in the favourable eastern soil.

CR3 - Loyang (Contract CR106)
In a nutshell: Both Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) for the contract are well underway from the launch shaft adjacent to the Pasir Ris East station. The first machine is currently boring along Loyang Avenue, near the junction with Pasir Ris Drive 3, while the second machine is in the vicinity of blocks 268 & 269A.

26 October 2025

Tunneling progress for contract CR106 as of October 2025.

Location of TBMs for contract CR106 as of October 2025.

26 October 2025

CR4 - Pasir Ris East (Contract CR107)
In a nutshell: Excavation works have begun at the station box. A deck slab is progressively being cast along the centre of the station which will serve as a work platform. Several openings through the station median and at the sides, where future exits or ventilation buildings will be located, serve as portals through which materials can be passed for construction progress.

26 October 2025

CR5 | CP1 - Pasir Ris (Contract CR108)
In a nutshell: Major works to construct diaphragm walls, part of the ERSS were underway. With recent road diversions in the vicinity of the contract site, work was ongoing for the areas formerly occupied by road junctions. As the roads had now diverted out of the way, work could progress for the remaining sections of ERSS at these locations. ERSS construction works are targeted to be completed by Q1 2026. At the eastern end of the contract, although the TBM segments were no longer visible at street level, tunneling works had yet to commence as the machine was being assembled.

19 October 2025

Tunneling progress for contract CR108 as of October 2025.

19 October 2025

CR6 - Tampines North (Contract CR109)
In a nutshell: Excavation of the entire station box area appears to have made headway, with struts installed for nearly the entire length. Casting works appear to be ongoing at several areas, notably near the southern launch shaft within the cut & cover tunnel area. On the station's eastern side, parts of the structure for a future exit can be seen. It might appear that a direct link to the integrated development adjacent to the station might be built into Exit 1. Both TBMs have since been relaunched for their second drives.

19 October 2025

Tunneling progress for contract CR109 as of October 2025.

Indicative outline of completed tunnels to Pasir Ris for contract CR109 as of October 2025.

Location of TBMs towards Facility Building 3 for contract CR109 as of October 2025.

19 October 2025

CR7 - Defu (Contract CR111)
In a nutshell: The most exciting part of the update for this contract would be that one of the tunnels has been completed. Based on our monitoring of the watchmen stations, we had noted that one for the westbound TBM reached Hougang station around August 2025. By this month, the station had disappeared. Instead, we had noticed sections of the TBM appearing at the launch shaft site - the ring segment erector, a screw conveyor and numerous back-up gantries. The second machine, boring the eastbound tunnel, is in the vicinity of Upper Serangoon Road currently.

26 October 2025

Tunneling progress for contract CR111 as of October 2025.

Location of TBMs for contract CR111 as of October 2025.

26 October 2025

CR8 - Hougang (Contract CR112)
In a nutshell: There are no more tunnel ring segments being stored at the staging site for the contract along Hougang Avenue 4. All the segments left were being stored at the worksite next to the launch shaft. This heralds the impending completion of tunnel boring works soon as the two machines dock next to Serangoon North station. Elsewhere, works are ramping up at the North East Line (NEL) station. At Exit A, replacement systems for the NEL cooling tower and water tank were being installed. This relocation would enable the existing cooling tower and water tanks to be demolished to facilitate the construction of the CRL's portion of Exit 1. Within the NEL station, works to upgrade the existing lift were underway along with formwork installation to expand the concourse slab.

26 October 2025

Tunneling progress for contract CR112 as of October 2025.

Location of TBMs for contract CR112 as of October 2025.

26 October 2025

CR9 - Serangoon North (Contract CR113)
In a nutshell: Diaphragm wall construction works were still in progress along most of the station's length.

26 October 2025

CR10 - Tavistock (Contract CR115)
In a nutshell: TBM-2 was closing in on Serangoon North, with the machine now located in the vicinity of block 101. A few hundred metres are all that stand in between the station and the completion of the machine's drive. TBM-3, on the other hand, was just approaching the Tavistock station itself where it will bore through the yet-to-be-excavated station box. We have also observed the second shield for TBM-1 on site at the launch shaft, pending lowering into the shaft for the second drive towards Ang Mo Kio station.

26 October 2025

Tunneling progress for contract CR115 as of October 2025.

Location of TBMs for contract CR115 towards Serangoon North as of October 2025.

Location of TBMs for contract CR115 towards Ang Mo Kio as of October 2025.

26 October 2025

CR11 - Ang Mo Kio (Contract CR116)
In a nutshell: Works at the station box were gearing up for an upcoming traffic diversion that would see the bounds of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 split apart, with the work area occupying the median of the roadway.

26 October 2025

Tunneling progress for contract CR116 as of October 2025.

Location of TBM Fatimah for contract CR116 as of October 2025.

26 October 2025

CR12 – Teck Ghee (Contract N109A)
In a nutshell: It is kind of difficult to make out what has been happening at the station exactly, due to the complex nature of the construction taking place. Nonetheless, at the southern end, it appears that the piers for the active mobility bridge across Marymount Road have begun taking shape. This bridge will be integrated with station Exits 2 and 3 within Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park. Elsewhere, excavation works appeared to be commencing within the ERSS for the site. Here, the station will sit underneath the future expressway tunnels for the North-South Expressway, part of the integrated mobility corridor being constructed along the height of the country. Parts of the disassembled Rectangular TBM that was used to construct subways underneath Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 sat on site.

26 October 2025

Punggol Extension
Works along the Punggol branch were focused on the construction of the stations' ERSS walls. At all station sites, machines were busy at work excavating the diaphragm wall panels followed by rebar cage installation. Tunneling works had only commenced with the large diameter tunnel boring machine in use, boring the westwards drive towards Riviera station. The TBM for contract P102 that would construct the twin bored tunnels towards Pasir Ris, on the other hand, had yet to begin works.

CP2 – Elias (Contract P102)
In a nutshell: ERSS construction works continue along the length of the station, with several clamshell grabbers and hydrofraise machines in use to construct the diaphragm walls. Works are also ramping up at the launch shaft, where gantry cranes have been assembled, ahead of tunneling works commencing.

19 October 2025

CP3 – Riviera (Contract P103)
In a nutshell: Following a road diversion that saw Punggol Central shifted northwards, works at the station site were focused on construction of the ERSS along the southern edge of the station. Drain diversions were also being put in place as works proceed to the next stage, with construction of the exits near the Riviera LRT station commencing.

26 October 2025

CP4 – Punggol (Contract P105)
In a nutshell: Lots has been going on over at Punggol. Diaphragm wall works are well underway for the station box on either side of the existing NEL station. At the western end, a road diversion has taken place to allow for the construction of the northern diaphragm walls that would allow the construction of the over run tunnels. Within the NEL station, portions of the concourse and platform level at the northern (Waterway Point) end have been hoarded up for alteration & addition works.

26 October 2025

11 October 2025

18 October 2025

11 October 2025

26 October 2025

Phase 2
As the newest phase of the line announced, tunneling works had only begun for 1 contract thus far - CR202. The said contract was also the first contract along the phase to be awarded, before the alignment and station locations were officially announced to allow for the required head start in construction.

As a result, the remaining contracts are also in a stage of ERSS construction with excavation works yet to begin at any of the station sites.

CR16 – Maju (Contract CR206)
In a nutshell: The new temporary pedestrian bridge had been opened for use, retaining the existing lift located outside the Singapore Institute of Management/Singapore University of Social Sciences. The old pedestrian bridge had the staircase and lift on the Clementi Forest side demolished. Diaphragm wall construction works were continuing through the remainder of the site.

25 October 2025

Tunnels between CR16 & CR17 stations (Contract CR207)
In a nutshell: Works had commenced on the construction of the diaphragm wall for the launch shaft. 2 hydrofraise machines & 1 clam shell grabber were on site to facilitate the works. Noise barrier works were partially completed.

25 October 2025

CR17 – Clementi (Contract CR208)
In a nutshell: Works continued on the construction of diaphragm walls at the site. The northern section, where the former Clementi Police HQ building used to sit, appeared to be at a more advanced stage of construction. King posts were being installed here. It is likely that roads in the area may be diverted over this section of the site, hence the more advanced progress.

25 October 2025

CR18 – West Coast (Contract CR209)
In a nutshell: Diaphragm wall construction works were continuing. Along the path of the bored tunnels, work was commencing for soil improvement as well. Compared to the available site, the station's footprint here is incredibly compact, occupying approximately 1/3 of the entire work site.

25 October 2025

Tunnels between CR18 & CR19 (Contract CR210)
In a nutshell: With diaphragm walls completed for the launch shaft, work was underway for the erection of the acoustic shed around the structure. It is likely that excavation will take place within the acoustic shed to minimise noise disturbance to residents in the surrounding areas. Parts of a gantry crane could be seen awaiting set up, which may also be used for excavation works.

25 October 2025

CR19 – Jurong Lake District (Contract CR211)
In a nutshell: Land clearing work underway, sections of noise barrier walls were being built around the site to limit the impact of noise generated to businesses and residents in the surroundings. Diaphragm wall construction had begun at some locations within the site.

25 October 2025

A similar but consolidated (a.k.a. simplified) post will be available on Instagram & Facebook on 8 November 2025.

Cross Island Line Construction

Saturday, November 1, 2025

CRL - A snapshot in October 2025

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