Circle Line

Circle Line (CCL) is the fourth Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line and it is coloured Orange. Traveling from one end to the other takes about 60 minutes. The line is currently 35.5 km long with 30 stations and it is fully underground and automated.

History

Initial System
28 May 2009	Template:STN - Template:STN
17 April 2010	Dhoby Ghaut - Template:STN
8 October 2011	Template:STN - Template:STN
14 January 2012	Template:STN - Marina Bay

Planning

The Circle Line was first known as the Marina Line in May 1998. The Marina Line was initially planned as a 12-station underground line, starting from Chinatown and Dhoby Ghaut via the Template:STN to either Kallang or Paya Lebar station. However, the Chinatown leg was later truncated and was reduced to 6 stations up to Template:STN station. On the other hand, a further extension towards Upper Paya Lebar was added in the year 2000. The Marina Line was also merged with a MRT Line that goes from Paya Lebar to Buona Vista via Serangoon and Bishan to form Circle Line Stage 3 and 4 in 2001. Stations in Circle Line that were a part of the original Marina Line plans include Dhoby Ghaut, Bras Basah, Template:STN, Template:STN, Template:STN and Template:STN. Also, the part of the Marina Line from Chinatown to Template:STN is now part of the Downtown Line. Circle Line Stage 5 was again finalised in February 2002 and was extended from Buona Vista to World Trade Centre to close up the link and to provide connectivity from the west to Sentosa, and it became the full Circle Line in the end.

Construction started in April 2002, and was supposed to be opened from 2006 and fully opened in 2010, with an estimated cost of S$6.7 billion, the Nicoll Highway collapse caused the construction of the Circle Line to be delayed to open from 28 May 2009 (the Stage 3 of which it is not affected by Nicoll Highway collapse), with full opening on 8 October 2011, at an escalated cost of nearly S$10 billion. Due to the re-alignment of the Nicoll Highway Station to a new location, the station is only two-thirds the size of the original plan before the collapse, and located 100m away from the highway collapse site. The decision was also made to open both Template:STN, andTemplate:STN stations (previously Thomson and West Coast), as a normal stations leaving the Template:STN closed, and there is only a middle track and emergency escape shaft.

Circle Line Stage 6

On 17 January 2013, the Land Transport Authority announced 'Circle Line Stage 6 which will close the circle, running between Marina Bay and Template:STN. It will be a 4 km extension. On 29 October 2015, the LTA announced the 3 station locations for the 'Circle Line Stage 6'. The stations are Template:STN, Template:STN and Template:STN. Construction of the line is due for completion in 2025.

Incients

Nicoll Highway collapse

Main article: Nicoll Highway collapse

On 20 April 2004, a section of the tunnel being built for the Circle Line collapsed, apparently when a retaining wall used in the tunnel's construction gave way. This occurred near what was planned to become the Template:STN on the Circle line, not far from the Merdeka Bridge. The accident left a collapse zone 150m wide, 100m long, and 30m deep. Four workers were killed, with three more injured.

A criminal inquiry found the main contractor Nishimatsu Construction Company and joint venture partner firm Lum Chang Construction Company and their officers, as well as key Land Transport Authority officers responsible for the collapse. Several other officers and subcontractors were reprimanded and issued warnings in connection with the accident.

As a result of this accident, the first phase of the Circle Line, previously scheduled to open in 2008, was completed in 2009 instead. The affected station has been shifted about 100m away from the accident site and is now located at Republic Avenue.

This accident had also resulted in stricter safety regulations for the construction of all future MRT lines. The shifting of the Nicoll Highway Station also meant it can no longer serve as a terminus for the Bukit Timah Line, partially influencing the creation of the current Downtown Line.

Other incidents

On 16 August 2007, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) issued a stop-work order and revoked the contractor's tunnelling permit after a 7m stretch of two lanes sank about 20cm, close to the junction of Telok Blangah Road and Alexandra Road in the evening, resulting in a halting of tunnelling works.

A section of the road above a construction site near Holland Road caved in on the morning of 24 May 2008, creating a massive hole. The hole, directly in front of two private houses along Cornwall Gardens Road, measured 8 by 7 metres and was 3 metres deep. No one was injured, but the road was temporarily closed to traffic.

Stations

Alpha-Numeric Code	Station Name	Working names	Notes
Circle Line
3	Dhoby Ghaut	Dhoby Ghaut	Terminus Interchange with North–South Line and North East Line
1	Bras Basah	Museum
1	Template:STN	Convention Centre
2	Template:STN	Millenia	Interchange with Downtown Line
1	Template:STN	Nicoll Highway
1	Template:STN	Boulevard	Terminus (Circle Line Extension)
1	Template:STN	Old Airport Road
1	Template:STN	Tanjong Katong
2	Paya Lebar	Paya Lebar	Interchange with East–West Line
2	Template:STN	MacPherson	Future Interchange with Downtown Line
1	Template:STN	Upper Paya Lebar
1	Template:STN	Bartley
2	Template:STN	Serangoon	Interchange with North East Line
1	Template:STN	Lorong Chuan
2	Bishan	Bishan	Interchange with North–South Line
1	Template:STN	Marymount
2	Template:STN	Thomson	Future Interchange with Thomson–East Coast Line
1	Template:STN	Bukit Brown	Not in operation
2	Botanic Gardens	Adam	Interchange with Downtown Line
1	Template:STN	Farrer
1	Template:STN	Holland
2	Buona Vista	Buona Vista	Interchange with East–West Line
1	Template:STN	one-North
1	Template:STN	National University Hospital
1	Template:STN	West Coast
1	Template:STN	Pasir Panjang
1	Template:STN	Alexandra
1	Template:STN	Telok Blangah
2	Template:STN	HarbourFront	Terminus Interchange with North East Line
Circle Line Stage 6 (Opening 2025)
1	Template:STN	Keppel	Under Planning/Construction
1	Template:STN	Cantonment	Under Planning/Construction
1	Template:STN	Prince Edward	Under Planning/Construction
Circle Line Extension
2	Bayfront	Bayfront	Interchange with Downtown Line
3	Marina Bay	Marina Bay	Terminus Interchange with North–South Line Future Interchange with Thomson–East Coast Line

Services

Service	Starting	Terminate at	Notes
Full	Dhoby Ghaut	Template:STN
Full	Template:STN	Dhoby Ghaut
Full	Template:STN	Marina Bay	Operates during Peak Hours.
SWT	Template:STN	Paya Lebar	Operate during peak hours/after peak hours.
Full	Template:STN	Marina Bay	Operates during Off Peak Hours.
Full	Marina Bay	Template:STN	Operates during Off Peak Hours.
Full	Marina Bay	Template:STN	Operates during Peak Hours.
SWT/Special	Marina Bay	Template:STN	Operates on days when major events held at National Stadium.

Rolling stock

The rolling stock consists of Alstom Metropolis C830 and Alstom Metropolis C830C trains, running in three-car formation. These trains operate from Kim Chuan Depot between Template:STN and Template:STN stations. The Kim Chuan Depot has maintenance and train overhaul facilities for trains along the Circle Line and Downtown Line.