Kranji

Kranji is a suburb in northwestern Singapore, located about 22 kilometres (15 miles) from the city centre.

Etymology

Kranji is named after a local tree, the kranji or keranji (Dialium indicum, Velvet tamarind). Its abundance has rapidly dwindled since the first half of the nineteenth century.

History

The first Singapore-Kranji railway from Tank Road to Kranji was opened in 1903. In 1909, the Johor State railway was opened and in 1912 both these railways became part of the Federated Malay States railway, which had been formed in 1901. After the completion of the Causeway in 1923, the lines were joined to complete the unification of the Federated Malay States Railway. Previously a Railway ferry service had operated between Woodlands jetty and Abu Bakar pier from 1903 until 1923.

Kranji served as a military camp before the Japanese invasion of Singapore in 1942, and is now the home of the Kranji War Cemetery and Kranji War Memorial, commemorating the 30,000 Commonwealth personnel who died in Singapore, Malaya, Java and Sumatra during World War II.

In addition, it is now a prime residential area comprising mostly stand-alone properties. There are no towering apartment blocks, unlike most suburbs of Singapore. It is also an industrial area.

Highlights

The Singapore Turf Club operates Kranji Racecourse, the only horse racing race course in Singapore. It is located next to the Kranji MRT Station.

There is also a reservoir known as Kranji Reservoir, which was formed by the damming of the Kranji River.

Bollywood Veggies is an organic farming collective and information centre open Wednesdays - Sundays.

References

• Victor R Savage, Brenda S A Yeoh (2003), Toponymics - A Study of Singapore Street Names, Eastern Universities Press, ISBN 981-210-205-1

• Romen Bose (2006), "Kranji - The Commonwealth War Cemetery and the Politics of the Dead", Marshall Cavendish Editions, ISBN 981-261-275-0

External links

• Kranji War Cemetery and Singapore Memorial
• Singapore Turf Club

Bus services

The following bus services stop outside Kranji MRT Station at Woodlands Road:

Service	Between	And	Notes
SBS Transit Trunk Services
160	Jurong East Bus Interchange	Kota Raya II Bus Terminal (JB)
170	Queen Street Bus Terminal	Larkin Bus Terminal (JB)	Red Plate
170	Kranji MRT Station	Kota Raya II Bus Terminal (JB)	Blue Plate
SMRT Buses Trunk Services
178	Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange	Boon Lay Bus Interchange
925	Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange	Choa Chu Kang Bus Interchange	Operates Weekdays and Saturdays only.
925C	Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange	Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve	Operates Sundays and public holidays only.
960	Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange	Marina Centre Bus Terminal
961	Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange	Lorong 1 Geylang Bus Terminal
961C	Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange	Lorong 1 Geylang Bus Terminal
Handal Indah Cross-border Services
CW1	Kranji MRT Station	Kota Raya II Bus Terminal (JB)
Kranji Express
KE	Kranji MRT Station	Kranji Countryside	See this website[1]

The following busses ply along Kranji/Sungei Kadut:

Service	Between	And	Notes
SMRT Buses Trunk Services
925	Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange	Choa Chu Kang Bus Interchange	Operates Weekdays and Saturdays only.
925C	Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange	Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve	Operates Sundays and public holidays only.
Kranji Express
KE	Kranji MRT Station	Kranji Countryside	See this website[2]

There is a SMRT bus depot at Kranji Way