Many bid final goodbyes to the KTM railway tracks
By Tan Weizhen, TODAY, 18 Jul 2011.
Hordes of people – including three presidential hopefuls and National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan – turned up yesterday to bid a nostalgic goodbye to the KTM railway tracks, which will be closed from today for works.
A three-kilometre stretch of the tracks – from Rifle Range Road to the Rail Mall – will remain open till the end of the month.
Many were with their family and dogs – after Mr Khaw had invited people to bring their pets and join him for the walk – to take one last jaunt along the 26-km green stretch. For some, it had been a regular haunt. Others showed up out of curiosity.
Those who spoke to Today reiterated their hope that the stretch would be conserved.
Source: TODAY
KTM greenery to be preserved: Khaw
By Fiona Low, The Straits Times, 18 Jul 2011.
The iconic tracks of the KTM railway will be dismantled from today, but Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan assured the public that the lush greenery surrounding them will be preserved.
Walking the tracks with his family and pet chihuahua Tammy yesterday evening, the minister added that after the tracks are dismantled, parts of the path will be reopened to the public again.
Speaking to reporters after the walk, Mr Khaw said there were many possibilities for housing development in the areas currently occupied by the tracks.
‘But we will do it in a way where we can still preserve this green spine. I’m quite sure it can be done and it will be very nice. We can have urban development but still maintain the greenery,’ he said.
Source: The Straits Times via Wildsingapore
Three presidential hopefuls join railway buzz
By Qiuyi Tan and Evelyn Choo, Channel NewsAsia, 17 July 2011.
It’s the last day the full 26-kilometre stretch of the KTM Railway from Tanjong Pagar to Woodlands is open to the public.
And adding to the buzz on the tracks were three presidential hopefuls – Tan Cheng Bock, Tan Kin Lian and Tan Jee Say.
When asked, Dr Tan Cheng Bock said he was checking out what he called a “hot topic”.
“As presidential candidates, you don’t discuss the issues. We only have to abide by the Constitution, and that is safeguarding the reserves and appointment of special top echelon leaders in the civil service. But that does not preclude me from taking an interest,” said potential presidential candidate Dr Tan Cheng Bock.
Source: Channel NewsAsia
Informal group to discuss railway land use
By Amelia Tan, The Straits Times, 10 Jul 2011.
An informal workgroup that includes people with varied perspectives has been formed to chart the future of the former KTM railway land. It includes representatives from nature and heritage groups, architects and university dons.
Already, its first meeting is scheduled in one to two weeks’ time, said Minister of State for National Development and Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin, who is leading the railway development project.
Meetings will be held once every one or two months, he told reporters at Bukit Timah Railway Station yesterday.
Brigadier-General (NS) Tan was leading a group of about 30 people from interest groups, such as nature and heritage groups, as well as individuals on a 23km trek along the railway tracks from Silat Estate in Tanjong Pagar to Kranji.
Source: The Straits Times via Wildsingapore
A Green Opportunity
By National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan, 9 Jul 2011 (this was posted on his blog).
I love greenery. In Sembawang, we did a lot to green up the place. In the new hospital in Yishun, we set out to build a “hospital in a garden†and we succeeded.
Seven weeks into MND, I have been flooded with emails and FB comments, 99% of them on housing, quite understandably.
But there were a few non-housing comments.
I got one from a medical school student, interested in the “preservation and continued development of Singapore’s urban cultureâ€. She referred me to the Green Corridor Project being proposed by the Nature Society, suggesting the possibilities that we could create after Malayan Railway moved its station from Tj Pagar to Woodlands. She referred me to the New York’s High Line project which was quite inspirational.
I too see a green opportunity in this development. Read more
Old KTM tracks to become “green spine”
By Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia, 9 Jul 2011.
The National Development Ministry is studying ways to retain the old KTM railway tracks as a green spine for nature and leisure.
The railway line running through Singapore was closed after the KTM train station at Tanjong Pagar moved to Woodlands on July 1.
Writing in his blog on Saturday, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan said he sees a “green opportunity” for urban development that will not compromise the development potential of the lands surrounding the track.
He hopes Singaporeans will come forward with their ideas to “co-develop a workable and practical scheme”.
Source: Channel NewsAsia
