SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): The stretch of Tanjong Katong Road South that has been closed for repairs after a sinkhole emerged there about a week ago will be progressively reopened to traffic from noon on Saturday (Aug 2).
Announcing this in a Facebook post on Aug 1, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said the affected stretch will open gradually – with the section from East Coast Parkway (ECP) to Mountbatten Road opening from noon on Aug 2, while the opposite bound from Mountbatten Road to ECP will open later from 5am on Aug 4.
LTA and national water agency PUB have completed repair works and an assessment of the safety of the affected road sections along Tanjong Katong Road South and the surrounding roads.
These checks, conducted in consultation with the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), have confirmed that these roads are safe to use, added LTA.
The sinkhole formed near a PUB construction site with sewer laying works. LTA said bus services 36 and 48, which were temporarily diverted, will return to plying their usual routes eastwards towards Changi Airport and Bedok from noon on Aug 2.
It noted that these bus services will resume taking their original routes westwards towards the city via ECP, and serve all affected bus stops along Tanjong Katong Road South, Mountbatten, Amber and Marine Parade Roads from the start of operations on Aug 4.
Adding that road reinstatement works are still under way, LTA said motorists may continue to see works taking place in the area.
These will include repairs to underground utilities or laying of new utilities to replace damaged ones after the roads have reopened.
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said in a Facebook post on Aug 1 that the authorities have been working around the clock to make the road safe again by carrying out extensive tests such as ground scans and stability checks. “I have been assured that the road will be safe for public use,” she said.
LTA said rigorous tests were carried out to assess the condition of the ground, such as probing to check for voids or weak ground, ground-penetrating radar surveys to detect abnormalities below ground, and seismic surveys to map the density and stability of underground layers.
It added that these tests did not detect any anomalies or voids within the area.
Fu added: “I thank all residents and motorists for your patience and understanding. This has allowed us to complete the necessary safety checks, assessment and repairs.”
The sinkhole appeared in Tanjong Katong Road South on the evening of July 26, causing a car and its driver to fall in.
The driver was rescued by workers on-site and was taken conscious to hospital. It was previously reported that she was experiencing muscular pains, and was still recovering in hospital as at July 29.
The Straits Times has asked PUB for an update on the driver’s condition.
On July 27, the badly damaged car was hoisted out of the sinkhole.
The sinkhole was refilled early on July 28 with liquefied stabilised soil, which is made of soil, cement and water. Works to test the ground were carried out thereafter.
On July 29, Fu apologised to the injured driver as well as those inconvenienced on behalf of her ministry and PUB, adding that the incident should not have happened.
BCA will conduct an independent probe into the incident, while the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment will carry out an internal investigation. – The Straits Times/ANN
