Infrastructure & development — Topics

3 Jul 2017

Use of Community Improvement Projects Committee Funds for Construction of Bicycle Sheds and Double-tier Bicycle Racks

Foo Mee Har asked if special CIPC funds can be set aside for bicycle sheds and double-tier bicycle racks to support increasing bicycles in HDB estates.
Lawrence Wong confirmed CIPC funds are already flexible and can be used for such facilities based on local needs decided by CCCs.
He noted CIPC funds are allocated to Citizens' Consultative Committees to prioritize projects like covered walkways, footpaths, playgrounds, and bicycle facilities.

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3 Jul 2017

Update on National Electric Vehicle Car-sharing Scheme

Ang Hin Kee sought a progress update on the national EV car-sharing scheme scheduled for mid-2017 rollout, including take-up rates and construction status of stations and charging points in HDB towns.
Khaw Boon Wan confirmed the first phase of BlueSG’s EV car-sharing programme would begin in the next few months with 125 electric cars and 200 charging points across 50 car parks.
The Land Transport Authority and BlueSG are discussing with communities to finalize specific car park locations and complete legal documentation for the charging points.

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3 Jul 2017

Inclusion of Sennett Estate in Walk2Ride Programme

Sitoh Yih Pin requested the Ministry of Transport to include Sennett Estate in the Walk2Ride programme and construct sheltered linkways to nearby MRT stations and bus stops.
Khaw Boon Wan confirmed that covered linkways will be built to connect Potong Pasir MRT station with the nearest part of Sennett Estate.
The debate centered on improving pedestrian accessibility and connectivity for residents of Sennett Estate to public transport nodes.

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3 Jul 2017

Noise Mitigation Measures along Stretches of Central Expressway Near Residential Areas

Sitoh Yih Pin asked the Minister for Transport if there are plans to add noise mitigation measures like sound barriers on residential stretches of the Central Expressway.
Khaw Boon Wan responded that the Ministry is exploring measures such as noise barriers and low-noise road surfaces.
Trials to test the effectiveness of these noise reduction methods are currently underway.

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3 Jul 2017

Reduction of Breakdown of MRT Train Services

The Minister outlined a multi-year strategy to improve rail reliability through four key elements: timely replacement of ageing assets, building rail expertise, reforming maintenance regimes, and increased investment in maintenance and engineering.
Specific actions include completing the upgrade of aging infrastructure such as sleepers, third rails, and signalling systems, while acknowledging that re-signalling projects can be complex and may cause temporary disruptions.
The government has set ambitious reliability targets measured by Mean Kilometre Between Failure (MKBF), and recent performance from January to May 2017 has already exceeded the 2018 and 2020 targets, showing significant progress.
The Minister emphasized that these efforts take time to yield results and called for continued public encouragement and support as the agencies work towards world-class rail reliability.

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3 Jul 2017

Qualifying Criteria to Build Covered Linkway from Private Housing to Nearest Bus Stop

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked about the criteria for building covered linkways from private condominiums to bus stops and the number funded in the last three years.
Khaw Boon Wan clarified that the government does not fund linkways directly to bus stops but instead builds them from condominiums to MRT, LRT, or bus interchanges under the Walk2Ride Programme, with possible connections to bus stops along the route.
The key condition for funding is that the condominium must provide a sheltered internal route from residential blocks to its gate to ensure a seamless, weather-protected connection.

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3 Jul 2017

Building and Maintenance Costs of Multi-storey Car Parks

The cost to build a multi-storey car park is generally three to five times higher per lot than a surface car park, depending on construction material prices and site-specific conditions.
Annual maintenance, improvement, and repair costs account for about 20% of car park expenditure, but parking charges do not cover the full costs of building, operating, and maintaining car parks.
Without increases in parking charges, HDB would face an annual deficit of around $100 million in the coming years, and even with revised charges, deficits are expected to continue due to rising overheads, ageing infrastructure, and other capital expenses.

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3 Jul 2017

Safeguards against Possibility of Terrorist Attack Using a Vehicle

The Ministry for Home Affairs has enhanced counter-terrorism capabilities, including better-equipped response forces, major exercises, and improved surveillance, while acknowledging that complete prevention of vehicle-based attacks is not possible.
New laws will require event organizers and building owners to implement security measures such as physical barriers, vehicle screening, and planning events away from vehicle-accessible areas, especially for large gatherings.
The upcoming Infrastructure Protection Act will mandate security considerations, including anti-vehicle measures, in the design of new large-scale developments and may require additional protective actions during heightened security threats.
Community vigilance through SGSecure is emphasized, with the public urged to report suspicious vehicles or persons to help prevent and respond to attacks.

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8 May 2017

Percentage of Total Land Area Designated for Residential Development Taken up by HDB Public Housing and Private Condominiums from 2013-2016

Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap asked the Minister for National Development for the percentage of land designated for HDB public housing and private condominiums from 2013 to 2016.
Lawrence Wong stated that from 2013 to 2016, 35% of land designated for residential development was used for non-landed private residential units.
Lawrence Wong also noted that 65% of the land designated for residential development was used for public housing units during the same period.

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8 May 2017

Statistics on HDB Flats and Private Condominium Units Built in 2015-2016

Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap asked for statistics on the number of HDB flats and private condominium units built in 2015–2016, and for the breakdown of HDB flats into those for rental and sale.
Lawrence Wong responded that about 48,600 non-landed private residential units were completed in 2015–2016.
About 52,100 HDB flats were completed in the same period.
Of the HDB flats, about 4,600 were for rental and about 47,500 were for sale.

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8 May 2017

Demand for Residential Homes for Elderly

Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked if there have been studies on demand for residential homes for the elderly as an alternative to nursing homes and whether there are plans to build such homes, particularly for seniors living alone.
The Ministry of Health engaged over 4,000 Singaporeans from 2014 to 2015, finding that seniors prefer to age in place in their own homes, leading to initiatives like 2-room flexi flats and integrated care services.
MOH is working to co-locate nursing homes and eldercare facilities in new housing estates and expand day care and home care places by 2020, while piloting flexible care packages.
The Ministry of Social and Family Development has established Senior Cluster Networks, Senior Activity Centres, and Senior Group Homes to support frail and vulnerable seniors in the community as an alternative to nursing homes.
Both ministries will continue to review and provide a range of home and community-based services to help seniors age gracefully in familiar surroundings.

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8 May 2017

Plans for Adequate Childcare and Kindergarten Facilities in Bidadari Estate

The Ministry works with HDB to plan preschools in new BTO developments, including Bidadari, aiming for larger capacities and earlier completion.
New preschools are designed to be integrated into precincts for better accessibility for young families moving in.
Centres may access common greens and community facilities to support children’s outdoor activities and development.

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8 May 2017

Ways for SMEs to Export Their Brands and Operations Overseas

SMEs can leverage large-scale Singapore-led projects, such as malls and industrial parks in China and Vietnam, to access overseas markets through familiar ecosystems and established networks.
International Enterprise Singapore partners with project developers like CapitaLand and SembCorp to integrate SMEs into overseas projects, enabling them to offer niche, value-added products and services.
Examples include SMEs in Guangzhou’s Datansha project providing specialized architectural and eldercare services, and food industry SMEs in Vietnam’s VSIPs catering to the growing middle class.
IE Singapore will continue facilitating these partnerships to help SMEs scale and establish themselves in international markets.

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8 May 2017

Plans to Manage Dust and Noise Pollution from Enhancement Works for Tampines Expressway

Desmond Choo asked the Minister for Transport about near- and long-term plans to manage dust and noise pollution from Tampines Expressway enhancement works
Khaw Boon Wan responded that during construction, temporary noise barriers will be installed and noisy machinery enclosed, with noisy works scheduled during daytime
He added that work areas will be watered periodically and construction vehicles washed before leaving the site to minimise dust pollution

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8 May 2017

Safeguarding Minimum Void Deck Space for Community Use

Liang Eng Hwa asked whether HDB will safeguard a minimum void deck space per precinct for community use and to fund amenities like Senior Activity Centres and Residents' Committees.
Lawrence Wong stated that void decks are common spaces enhanced since 2014 with "community living rooms" and pavilions for social activities, and Social Communal Facilities are integrated into new housing developments with funding from relevant ministries.
HDB safeguards space in void decks or car parks for future community facilities when needs are not yet established, and collaborates with agencies to find additional space in community areas if needed.

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8 May 2017

Sheltered Walkways from Schools to Bus Stops and MRT Stations

Darryl David proposed that LTA collaborate with schools and institutions to build sheltered walkways connecting them to bus stops and MRT stations for better last-mile connectivity.
Khaw Boon Wan responded that 80% of schools already have covered linkways to nearby transit stations, with the rest to be completed by 2018 if they meet the Walk2Ride criteria.

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8 May 2017

Internet Disruptions Due to Cable Cuts

IMDA reported 26 Internet disruptions lasting over three hours since 2013, 14 of which were due to cable cuts, with the latest incident in Jurong on 11 April 2017 affecting about 3,800 subscribers and taking 28 hours to restore.
Investigations show most cable cuts are caused by contractors failing to follow standard operating procedures; IMDA is conducting dialogues and distributing safety guidelines to prevent recurrence.
The Minister stated that companies responsible for cable cuts may be prosecuted, but compensation to affected users would be at the discretion of the company as a gesture of goodwill.
While no global metric comparing Singapore’s Internet disruption frequency is available, the Minister acknowledged the need to assess connectivity availability and consider tracking such data in the future.

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4 Apr 2017

Coordination of Road Works to Minimise Inconvenience to Road Users

Lim Biow Chuan questioned how the Road Opening Coordination Committee can better coordinate among agencies to minimise road works and inconvenience to users.
The Second Minister for Transport explained that the committee plans works in advance, but emergency repairs like cable or gas faults cannot always be forecasted, and a new fee structure incentivises optimal planning of road works.
Lim Biow Chuan suggested a moratorium on road digging for non-emergency works after initial repairs, requiring ministerial approval for exceptions.
The Minister responded that the committee, comprising multiple agencies, coordinates many annual applications and aims to avoid repeated digging within a reasonable timeframe.

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4 Apr 2017

More Toilets along Park Connectors

Lim Biow Chuan asked whether NParks would install more toilets along park connectors and stressed the need for maintenance to keep them clean.
Desmond Lee confirmed that NParks plans to build new toilets across the Park Connector Network over the next five years, focusing on selected locations to best serve park users and the community.
The government follows planning guidelines to provide toilets at about 2.5-kilometre intervals along the PCN, with signs directing users to nearby facilities, and will study feasibility for new toilets where needed.
For regional parks, toilets are planned every 500 to 1,000 metres based on factors like terrain and sewer access, while public parks will consider cost-effective connections to existing sewer lines.

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4 Apr 2017

Publication of Environmental Impact Assessments

Louis Ng asked whether all environmental impact assessments for Tengah’s development could be made public and what plans exist to protect existing wildlife in the area.
The Senior Minister of State replied that HDB is conducting an environmental baseline study with public findings to be shared, plans include a Forest Corridor and naturalised water bodies, and wildlife management strategies to minimise impact.
Ng followed up asking for a timeline, whether a full EIA would be conducted, and if nature groups were involved, to which the Minister confirmed the study would finish by mid-2017 and that stakeholders including nature groups are consulted.
Leon Perera questioned if all EIAs should be made public unless for national security, and the Minister confirmed findings are generally public unless specific considerations prohibit release.

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