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Bedok MRT station

Coordinates: 1°19′26.54″N 103°55′48.13″E / 1.3240389°N 103.9300361°E / 1.3240389; 103.9300361
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This article is about the MRT station on the East–West Line. For other stations with the name Bedok, see Bedok station (disambiguation).

 EW5 
Bedok
勿洛
பிடோக்
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station
Exterior of Bedok MRT station.
General information
Location315 New Upper Changi Road
Singapore 467347
Coordinates1°19′26.54″N 103°55′48.13″E / 1.3240389°N 103.9300361°E / 1.3240389; 103.9300361
Owned byLand Transport Authority
Operated bySMRT Trains (SMRT Corporation)
Line(s)
  East–West Line
Platforms2 (1 island platform)
Tracks2
ConnectionsBedok Bus Interchange, Taxi
Construction
Structure typeElevated
Platform levels1
ParkingYes (Bedok Mall)
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes
History
Opened4 November 1989; 35 years ago (1989-11-04)
ElectrifiedYes
Previous namesChai Chee
Passengers
June 202430,760 per day[1]
Services
Preceding station Mass Rapid Transit Following station
Tanah Merah
towards Pasir Ris
 East–West Line Kembangan
towards Tuas Link
Location
Singapore MRT/LRT system map
Singapore MRT/LRT system map
Bedok
Bedok MRT station in Singapore

Bedok MRT station is an elevated Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the East–West Line (EWL) in Bedok, Singapore. Operated by SMRT Trains, the station serves the Bedok area and its landmarks such as Bedok Bus Interchange and Bedok Mall. It is reportedly one of the busiest stations on the eastern portion of the EWL.[2][3][4]

First announced in May 1982 as Chai Chee station, it was renamed to Bedok station and was confirmed to be part of Phase II of the MRT system. It commenced operations on 4 November 1989 along with other stations on the eastern stretch of the line. Half-height platform screen doors were installed at the station in 2012, along with High volume low speed fans that following year.

Built with a domed roof and an island platform layout on the top floor, the station is two-stories tall with its ticketing office on the ground floor. It is connected to its exits by underground passageways. As a part of SMRT's heritage-themed public art display, there is a mural that details the history and landmarks of Bedok.

History

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Bedok station was first included in the initial plans of the MRT system as Chai Chee station in May 1982.[5] It was later confirmed to be part of Phase II of the MRT as Bedok station in October 1983.[6]

External image
image icon Artist's impression of Bedok station Source: National Library Board (NLB)

There were several joint ventures between companies that prequalified for Contract 304 by May 1985, which detailed the construction of this station, Kembangan station, and the construction of 3.2km of rail viaducts as well as a 575m underground cut-and-cover tunnel between Jalan Senang and Siglap/New Upper Changi Road junction.[7][8] The contract was ultimately awarded to a partnership between the Obayashi Corporation and Resources Development Pte Ltd in January 1986 for S$70 million (1986) (US$32.15 million).[9] Work began in March 1986.[10] In order for the station to be constructed, New Upper Changi Road had to be widen.[11] Bedok MRT station opened on 4 November 1989 along with all other EWL stations from Bugis to Tanah Merah.[12][13] After its opening, it was reported that the lack of a sheltered walkway to the bus interchange caused "passengers [to be] trapped at the station... [which caused] overcrowding".[2] Construction for a sheltered walkway started on October 1991, with an expected completion date of May 1992.[14]

Safety

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In January 1988, during the construction of the station, a schoolgirl fell through a gap in the pavement at New Upper Changi Road that led to a 4m deep drain. Barriers put up by the station's concracters around the gap earlier had been removed. The pavement subsequently had its gap covered up by a metal sheet.[15]

In September 2000, a 70-year old man was ran over by an eastbound train outside of the station. The driver did see the man and applied emergency breaks, though it was too late.[16]

As with most of the elevated stations along the East-West line, the station was initially built without platform screen doors. Following a rise in track intrusions as well as commuters slipping when rushing for the train, the LTA and SMRT decided to install platform screen doors.[17] After several successful tests at Jurong East, Yishun and Pasir Ris, half-height platform screen doors were eventually installed and commenced operations at Chinese Garden station by March 2012.[18] The station was installed with high-volume low-speed fans by the first quarter of 2013.[19]

Details

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Bedok station is located on a traffic island in the central median of New Changi Upper Road, opposite of the Bedok Bus Interchange.[20][21] Operated by SMART Trains, it is between Tanah Merah and Kembangan stations on the East West Line (EWL) with the station code EW5.[22]

It is a two-story elevated station with a ticketing office on the ground floor and an island platform on the elevated floor.[11] It has three underground exits primarily serving the Bedok Mall, Bedok Bus Interchange and the eponymous hawker centre, Heartbeat@Bedok, and Bedok Point.[23] It has often been described as one of the busiest stations on the Eastern portion of the EWL.[2][3] In fact, during its opening day, 17,614 people entered the station by 8pm.[4]

A subway exit of the station

Like many EWL stations in the East, Bedok station has a dome-shaped roof.[24] The platform is also column free so that it gives commuters "maximum visibility of the area and ease of movement".[25] Additionally, as a part of SMRT's heritage-themed artwork showcase Comic Connect, the station features a mural created by students from APSN Katong school.[26] The mural showcases Bedok's history and landmarks such as the Bedok Reservoir, Opera and Frankel residential estates, and Simpang Bedok (a former village turned food hub).[27]

References

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  1. ^ "Land Transport DataMall". mytransport.sg. Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 14 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Tong, Henry Liau Yeong (11 November 1991). "Urgent need for walkway". The Straits Times (Letter). p. 28. Retrieved 26 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  3. ^ a b Ah. "M4 wanted at Mandarin Gardens". Weekend East (Letter). p. 6. Retrieved 26 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  4. ^ a b "Page 14". The Straits Times. 5 November 1989. p. 14. Retrieved 26 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  5. ^ "Proposed MRT stations". The Straits Times. 23 May 1982. p. 1. Retrieved 23 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  6. ^ "Page 8". The Straits Times. 26 October 1983. p. 8. Retrieved 23 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  7. ^ Yap, Boh Hoon (13 May 1985). "MRTC prequalifies 37 for 11 engineering contracts". The Business Times. p. 1. Retrieved 7 October 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  8. ^ "List of pre-qualified contractors — MRT Phase IIA, IIB". The Business Times. 14 May 1985. p. 3. Retrieved 6 October 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  9. ^ "MRTC awards two jobs on eastern line". The Business Times. 14 January 1986. p. 2. Retrieved 27 June 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  10. ^ "MRT will only come to the East in 1990". Weekend East. 18 December 1987. p. 12. Retrieved 6 October 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  11. ^ a b "20-min ride to city". Weekend East. 11 July 1986. p. 15. Retrieved 26 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  12. ^ Dhaliwal, Rav (1 November 1989). "Eager wait for start of MRTs eastern line". The Straits Times. p. 22.
  13. ^ "MRT eastern line to start operating on Nov 18". The Business Times. 4 August 1989. p. 3.
  14. ^ Lee, Hock Guan (16 November 1991). "Bedok MRT to have walkway by next May". The Straits Times (Response to letter). p. 34. Retrieved 11 October 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  15. ^ "Girl falls 4m through gap in pavement". The Straits Times. 17 January 1988. p. 11. Retrieved 23 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  16. ^ "Man run over by MRT train". The New Paper. 30 September 2000. p. 2. Retrieved 26 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  17. ^ Wong, Siew Ying (26 January 2008). "Above-ground MRT stations to have platform screen doors by 2012". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  18. ^ "LTA completes installing elevated MRT station screen doors early". CNA. 23 March 2017 [March 14, 2012]. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  19. ^ "Enhancing Connectivity and Comfort for Commuters". Land Transport Authority. 13 October 2011. Archived from the original on 25 December 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  20. ^ "MRT station is near town centre". Weekend East. 16 November 1989. p. 8. Retrieved 24 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  21. ^ "Bedok - Map". SMRT (Map). Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  22. ^ "System Map" (PDF). LTA. 26 September 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  23. ^ "Bedok - Exits". SMRT. 26 September 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  24. ^ "20-min ride to city". Weekend East. 11 July 1986. p. 15. Retrieved 26 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  25. ^ "MRT station is near town centre". Weekend East. 16 November 1989. p. 8. Retrieved 24 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  26. ^ "Commuters & Communities". SMRT. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  27. ^ "Bedok". SMRT. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
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