Maplewoods residents want rail line launch shaft relocated

[mr funny]

http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/sub/news/story/0,4574,443674-1308340740,00.html?

Published June 17, 2011

Maplewoods residents want rail line launch shaft relocated

By TAM YU LING


INCONVENIENCES caused by the construction of the new Downtown Line have prompted residents of Maplewoods Condominium in Bukit Timah to sign a petition to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

The petition was signed by 65 per cent of the 697 households living in Maplewoods. It calls for a relocation of the launch shaft of the King Albert Park station. In addition, the signatories also requested the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to disclose the risk assessment survey for the King Albert Park station to the residents.

At a press conference yesterday, Maplewoods resident Michael Morris estimated that approximately '50,000 dump-truck trips will be needed to clear away all the tunnelling debris in the process of constructing the launch shaft'.

He expressed concern over safety issues due to the increase in vehicular traffic should construction of the tunnel launch shaft proceed as originally planned.

Mr Morris noted that the Sixth Avenue station in Downtown Line does not have any launch shaft construction site. He suggested that construction site for the launch shaft should be shifted there as 'there is far more land available around the Sixth Avenue station site for possibly situating the launch shaft site'.

To address the concerns of the residents, construction company Alpine-Bau GmbH and LTA have held meetings with the management council of Maplewoods. Holland-Bukit Timah MP Christopher de Souza also met the residents to listen to their concerns in the last meeting held on June 7.

After the meetings, both LTA and Mr de Souza proposed several solutions. However, all the proposed solutions were rejected by the residents as they felt they were not feasible.

'The solutions offered so far are 'band-aids' to the real problem (of construction of the launch shaft at Maplewoods entrance and exit),' said Tan Teng Muan, a Maplewoods resident.

When contacted by BT, an LTA spokesman said that LTA is committed to doing all it can to minimise the impact of the construction on residents living in Maplewoods. It is also working closely with Mr de Souza to address the residents' concerns to the best of its abilities, said LTA.

A moratorium has been declared on the construction of the launch shaft at the Maplewoods site until further notice.

[Allthepies]

how about shifting the station away too =) :D

[chiaberry]

It's usually an advantage to have an MRT station right at your door step. Is this one really TOO CLOSE for comfort?

[proud owner]

It's usually an advantage to have an MRT station right at your door step. Is this one really TOO CLOSE for comfort?

i have not idea how close is close ..


but if it is just outside their gate ...hhhmmmm

maybe really too close ...

also .. one can imagine the number of cars ...waiting outside their gate ...to 'pick' up from mrt station ...

can be a real night mare

[DC33_2008]

The apartments nearer to bukit timah road will be really close. No more exclusivity anymore.
i have not idea how close is close ..


but if it is just outside their gate ...hhhmmmm

maybe really too close ...

also .. one can imagine the number of cars ...waiting outside their gate ...to 'pick' up from mrt station ...

can be a real night mare

[chiaberry]

I can't believe that LTA would construct a launch shaft right at the entrance/exit of a condomonium. Hmmm.....all this digging would surely have adverse effects on the land structure/likelihood of floods in the area around it.

I feel sorry for owners of Maplewoods. It is a nice condo/location.

[hopeful]

Not in my backyard attitude :doh:.
Then sixth avenue residents also reject how?

[howgozit]

I can't believe that LTA would construct a launch shaft right at the entrance/exit of a condomonium. Hmmm.....all this digging would surely have adverse effects on the land structure/likelihood of floods in the area around it.

I feel sorry for owners of Maplewoods. It is a nice condo/location.

Can't feel sorry for them at all. They want the cake and eat it. And have leftovers as well.

Their solution to the problem is to shift the problem somewhere else. So it becomes somebody else's problem.

[Wild Falcon]

Sigh! LTA propose a few solution and they dun want. Looks like they just want to shift everything to Sixth Ave? Maybe LTA should just remove the KAP station lah. Maplewoods and that stretch condos are NEVER quiet and peaceful to begin with. They directly face the busy Bukit Timah road. Just live with the construction for a few years and everything will be fine. As that stretch of condos are already very close to the main road, of course the MRT construction will affect them more than others. But who ask them to choose a condo only 1 meter behind a main road right? If u dun like noise and pollution, then choose the condos deeper inside. One would assume anyone who choose a condo only 1m away from the main road would be used to such noise and pollution.

[chiaberry]

Isn't there anywhere else they can move the launch shaft?

Anyway I feel that area is over-rated. Prone to flooding and also jams with too many schools around the place and on the way to town. My cousin had a landed in 6th Avenue area and sold it. Could not stand the daily jams on the way to work.

Doesn't seem like there's any takers for Dynasty Garden en bloc either? (on 6th Avenue)

[amk]

Can't feel sorry for them at all. They want the cake and eat it. And have leftovers as well.

Their solution to the problem is to shift the problem somewhere else. So it becomes somebody else's problem.
kind of agree.. although I dun know exactly how bad the situation is... in any case, buying a pty directly in front of the main road is always a bad idea.

actually I'm more concerned abt the girls going to MGS. If I'm not mistaken, they all have to pass by that area right ? hope LTA will ensure the pedestrian pathway to the school is very very well protected. these are very very young kids. I have friends sending their kids there and I know they are quite worried.