New MRT Plans Revealed: How Tengah & Seletar Lines May Boost Northern Homes

In news that will please north-end residents (and possibly annoy those who feel the train lines are already too convoluted), the government has announced feasibility studies into two possible new lines: these are the Tengah and Seletar lines, which appear to better connect the north side of Singapore, and also service parts of the Greater Southern Waterfront. Here’s what you need to know:

Studies into a new Tengah line

The Tengah line will provide improved public transport in the north and north-western towns. Areas that might be serviced by this line include Tengah, Bukit Batok, Queensway, and Bukit Merah. 

There’s a likelihood that this line will intersect with the proposed Seletar Line, at some point along the Greater Southern Waterfront (GSW) area. As an alternative, both Tengah and Seletar lines might be combined into a single continuous line instead. We believe that under this alternative, commuters travelling between the northwest (Tengah) and the north (Seletar) won’t need to transfer between different lines. This could affect the likely placement of the relevant station(s). We have previously pondered future station locations in this earlier newsletter; and like before, we do wonder if the resulting stations or lines will pass through the redeveloped Paya Lebar Air Base; it will likely be moved to make way for homes by then.

There’s no hard news to confirm any of this yet though, and the possibilities are still just being considered. If it is deemed feasible, the Tengah Line is expected to be completed in phases starting from the 2040s, potentially serving over 400,000 households. ​

Currently, residents in Tengah rely on the Jurong Region Line (JRL), which is still under construction.

Besides the JRL, the alternative is to travel to Bukit Batok or Choa Chu Kang for existing MRT lines. Tengah is one of the newest towns, so accessibility is not yet well-developed. But Tengah is also projected to provide around 42,000 new homes once completed, which comprise around 30,000 flats and 12,000 private housing units. 

The town is likely to require more alternatives than just the JRL, even after it is completed. Given how far ahead in the future this is though, we don’t expect the news to affect property values for decades still to come. It does, however, provide confidence in URA’s attempts to transform the “ulu” Tengah region. 

Realtors opined that the next town to see the most benefits from this is Bukit Batok. This township is reliant mainly on the NSL (and it’s a long trip to the central region), or the unfolding JRL. But for the already mature towns of Bukit Merah and Queenstown, the benefits may be more marginal. 

As one property agent described it, one more train line would be a “win more” situation for Bukit Merah and Queenstown, rather than a vital necessity.

The Seletar line 

The Seletar line is also under feasibility studies and is likely to commence in the 2040s if approved. Areas covered by the Seletar line might be:

• Woodlands
• Sembawang
• Sengkang West
• Serangoon North
• Whampoa
• Kallang

And parts of the Greater Southern Waterfront. 

Sengkang West is the town that most urgently needs this upgrade. Public transport access is very limited in this area, with most residents relying on the LRT or buses to get to other train stations. Seletar Hills and Fernvale are good examples of this, as their main drawback is almost inevitably described as inaccessibility. 

Another glaring issue here is the Seletar Aerospace Park: this is intended to be a major hub for the aviation and engineering sectors, but it’s arguably one of the worst-connected industrial parks, in terms of MRT access. 

2040 isn’t soon enough for this area (and we expect more interim improvements); but it’s some good news at least.

Whampoa and Serangoon North are the areas that would next benefit the most. Many Whampoa residents need a bus connection to get to the MRT, usually taking the bus to Novena or Boon Keng. This is a bit ironic, since Whampoa is quite close to the city centre; but parts of this neighbourhood have lacked direct access to the train for many years now. 

For Serangoon North, note that Serangoon MRT station (the one near NEX Megamall) is too far to walk. Despite the maturity of Serangoon as a whole, this particular area still has a lot of new flats, which is likely to see increasing demand in affordable housing; and the industrial estates and businesses lack good MRT access.

We’ll be able to pick out specific projects that benefit, once the exact station locations are known

For now though, it’s too early to make predictions like improved property values. While that seems logical, these two lines are only being studied, not guaranteed; and commencement in the 2040s means it’s all a long time away.