Jurong Region Line to boost nearby residential and industrial areas

It will have three interchange stations at Boon Lay, Choa Chu Kang, and Jurong East MRT Stations.

Transport minister Khaw Boon Wan announced that Singapore's seventh MRT line, the Jurong Region Line (JRL), will be opened in three phases starting 2026. The last phase is expected to be launched in 2028.

The JRL will now be 24-kilometre long and will feature 24 stations, including three interchange stations at Boon Lay, Choa Chu Kang, and Jurong East MRT Stations, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said. It will serve residents of Choa Chu Kang, Boon Lay, Jurong, and future developments in the Tengah area. Moreover, the line will also connect to main activity nodes in Jurong, such as the Jurong Industrial Estate, Jurong Innovation District, and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU). The JRL will also serve the Jurong Lake District.

Cushman & Wakefield senior director of research Christine Li commented that existing residential areas may not see significant improvement as they are already in close proximity to existing stations in the East West line (EWL) and North South line (NSL). "Residential rents may also be depressed over the next decade due to noise from the construction activities. However, the new Tengah estate which is currently undeveloped will be heavily reliant on the JRL, as there are plans for a car-free town centre," she said.

Meanwhile, future office workers in the upcoming Jurong Lake District, touted as the second CBD in the West, will also benefit from the increased transport connectivity, Li noted. "The announcement of the JRL also complements the planned KL-Singapore HSR. With both the JRL and HSR in operation, Singaporean and Malaysian businesses will have the added incentive to site their offices and manufacturing activities in the Jurong Lake District and surrounding industrial estates," she added.

The JRL is expected to serve more than 200,000 commuters daily in the initial years.

"This figure would rise to more than 500,000 when the Jurong Innovation District, Tengah area, and Jurong Lake District are fully developed. As with the introduction of other new rail lines, LTA will review the bus services in surrounding areas to optimise connectivity to JRL and the rest of the rail network," LTA added.

The JRL will have the most positive impact on the industrial sector due to improved accessibility to the Jurong Innovation District, Jurong Industrial Estate, International Business Park, and CleanTech Park, Li noted. "It also indirectly improves the linkage of these areas to the Tuas mega port via the EWL. Industrial rents and prices in these areas will experience an uplift as a result," she said.

Meanwhile, for the retail sector, "major malls at interchange stations such as Jurong Point, JEM, and Westgate will see an increase in footfall and sales," Li added.

Moreover, to facilitate the construction of the JRL, the government needs to acquire Block 303 at Choa Chu Kang Ave 4, which is an HDB multi-storey car park with commercial units at the first storey. LTA will build a new permanent car park in the vicinity in tandem with the construction of the JRL.

In the interim, a temporary surface car park will be provided adjacent to Block 303, where the current Choa Chu Kang Bus Interchange is situated.

In addition, another 19 part-lots of land and four pockets of air space will be acquired. "The partial acquisitions will only affect ancillary features such as green verges, and boundary walls/fencing," LTA said.

The stations at Choa Chu Kang, Boon Lay and Jurong areas are expected to add more than 60,000 additional households within a 10-minute walk from a train station. "As key residential areas such as Tengah new town develop over time, even more households will benefit from the JRL in time to come," LTA noted.

The agency also said the JRL will shorten travel times within the western part of Singapore. "For instance, a commuter staying in Woodlands and working in Jurong Island will be able to reach Jurong Island Checkpoint in 45 minutes, which is 35 minutes faster than the 80-minute journey on public transport today," it added.