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
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
