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Rochor MRT station

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Rochor MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the Downtown Line (DTL) in Rochor, Singapore. Located between Sungei Road and Rochor Canal Road, the station serves landmarks such as Sim Lim Square, The Verge, the LASALLE College of the Arts and Tekka Centre. The station is operated by SBS Transit.

 DT13 
Rochor
梧槽
ரோச்சோர்
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station
Exit B of Rochor MRT station
General information
Location11 Rochor Canal Road
Singapore 188505[1]
Coordinates1°18′13.55″N 103°51′9.29″E / 1.3037639°N 103.8525806°E / 1.3037639; 103.8525806
Operated bySBS Transit DTL (ComfortDelGro Corporation)
Line(s)
  Downtown Line
Platforms2 (1 island platform)
Tracks2
ConnectionsBus, taxi
Construction
Structure typeUnderground
Platform levels1
AccessibleYes
History
Opened27 December 2015; 8 years ago (2015-12-27)
ElectrifiedYes
Previous namesTekka, Ophir[2][3]
Passengers
June 20249,422 per day[4]
Services
Preceding station Mass Rapid Transit Following station
Little India
towards Bukit Panjang
 Downtown Line Bugis
towards Expo
Location
Singapore MRT/LRT system map
Singapore MRT/LRT system map
Rochor
Rochor station in Singapore

The station was first announced in July 2008 when the DTL Stage 2 (DTL2) were revealed. The construction of the station, which began in 2009, was one of the most challenging projects on the DTL, involving multiple realignments of the arterial roads and the Rochor Canal while being constructed in soft marine clay. The station, which opened on 27 December 2015 along with the DTL2 stations, was designed by Architects61, and it features an Art-in-Transit artwork Tracing Memories by students of LASALLE.

History

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Construction

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The roads diverted during the construction
 
Construction site

Rochor station was first announced as part of Downtown line Stage 2 (DTL2) on 15 July 2008.[5] Contract 921 for the design and construction of Rochor station and tunnels was awarded to SsangYong Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd for S$803.3 million (US$552.3 million) in June 2009.[a] Construction of the station was scheduled to commence in the third quarter of 2009 with a targeted completion of 2015.[6] The contract was one of the most costly to be awarded on the DLT2 project because of the intricacies of the project.[7]

During the construction process, the Rochor Canal, which had previously run between Rochor Canal Road and Sungei Road, was temporarily diverted to a 150-metre (490 ft) canal box.[7][8][9] Sungei and Rochor Canal Roads, both arterial routes, were rerouted several times.[7] Steel decks for traffic were installed above the canal since there was little room to divert the roads sideways.[10] The road diversions were done during the night to avoid disrupting traffic during the day.[9]

The underlying layer of soft marine clay extended 30 metres (98 ft) deep and had a thickness similar to "peanut butter".[7][8][10] The construction workers erected diaphragm walls and other strong temporary earth-retaining structures,[7][8] and cement was pumped into the soil to stabilise the soil and prevent any impact on the surrounding buildings, especially the heritage shophouses.[10] Additional equipment was installed to monitor ground movement, while heavy machinery had to be moved carefully to avoid endangering or interfering with road traffic.[9][11]

With the detailed planning and extensive safety procedures in place, the works were completed in 1.6 million man-hours, on schedule and without accidents.[9] In conjunction with the station's construction, a 180-metre (590 ft) long provisional box tunnel was constructed above the station to serve the future North–South Corridor.[7] The Rochor Canal was rerouted to a new tunnel between Clive Street and Sim Lim Tower, while the canal's original route was covered with soil.[7] In recognition of the complexities of the work, the workers involved were awarded an excellence award by the Singapore Concrete Institute on 20 November 2015.[8][9][12] The Ministry of Manpower has praised the construction project for its record of zero accidents and its timely completion.[9]

Opening

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On 28 June 2015, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew announced that the DTL2 would be opened earlier than scheduled,[b][13] with 95% of the works completed.[14][15] In August that year, Lui further announced that the DTL2 segment would open on 27 December 2015.[16][17] As planned, the station opened on 27 December along with the other DTL2 stations.[18][19]

Station details

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Services

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Rochor station serves the Downtown line (DTL) and is situated between the Little India and Bugis stations. The station code is DT13 as reflected on official maps.[20] As of January 2021, the station operates between 5:55 am and 12:24 am daily,[21] with headways of 2.75 to 4.5 minutes.[22]

Location

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The station is located underground between Sungei Road and Rochor Canal Road.[1] The station serves the retail developments of Sim Lim Square, Peace Centre and Albert Centre, alongside religious institutions such as Church – Our Lady of L'des, Kwang Im Tong Temple and Masjid Abdul Gafoor. It is within walking distance to the LASALLE College of the Arts. The station is also close to various hotels and residential developments.[21]

The station is located in close proximity to Jalan Besar MRT station. Since March 2018, passengers can transfer between the two stations without a fare penalty, therefore skipping the loop of the Downtown Line.[23]

Station artwork

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Artwork on the lift shaft of the station

As part of the MRT's Art-in-Transit Programme,[c] LASALLE College of the Arts students were commissioned to create an artwork Tracing Memories,[d] which is placed on the shaft of the station's lift.[25][26] The artwork depicts local vintage objects acquired at the nearby Thieves' Market,[e] drawn using pencils, via monoprinting, or digitally and were arranged to resemble a motherboard.[24][26][28] The artwork was designed to juxtapose modern technology, as well as the sentimentality for tradition and history, that was contemplated by Singapore's younger population.[25]

Station design

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The ceiling patterns act as wayfinding elements for the station.

Designed by Architects61, the station was intended to be utilitarian but aesthetically pleasing, naturally blending in with its surroundings and heralded as a model of contemporary transport infrastructure.[29] Due to its position in a locale known for the arts and technology, the station's platform and ceiling motif takes inspiration from the interior of a circuit board, with the digital lines representing "fluidity" and "dynamism".[29][30]

The patterns of the ceiling act as wayfinding elements with directional lines engraved into the design.[29][30] The spacious layout allows ease of movement[30] and improves visual awareness of the platform and concourse.[29] To promote the use of public transportation, the entrances are also integrated with other modes of transportation such as bus, taxis and bicycles.[30] As the site is sloped, the main entrance has ramps to accommodate the height differences. The other entrance (Exit B) features an oval-shaped structure to better resist underground pressure.[29] The entrances were designed to allow future integration with upcoming developments, with provisions for additional underground connections to the station.[30]

Notes and references

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Notes

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  1. ^ The contract also included the construction of the adjacent Little India station.
  2. ^ Due to delays in construction over the insolvency of a contractor Alpine Bau, the date was pushed to 2016. See Tan Kah Kee station for details.
  3. ^ Public art showcase which integrates artworks into the MRT network.
  4. ^ The students involved were: Andreas Schlegel, Betty Susiarjo, Chelsea Zhao Xin, Chen Shitong, Luke Heng, Ronald Cheah and Xiuting Yang.[24]
  5. ^ A flea market which used to operate along Sungei Road.[27]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Rochor MRT Station (DT13)". OneMap. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Annex 1: Final Station Names" (PDF). www.lta.gov.sg. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 March 2013.
  3. ^ "Downtown Line 2 Station Names Shortlisted for Public Polling | Press Room". www.lta.gov.sg. 10 October 2008. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016.
  4. ^ "Land Transport DataMall". Datamall. Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 14 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Downtown Line 2 Station Sites Named". www.lta.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 27 May 2011. Retrieved 17 June 2009.
  6. ^ "LTA Awards 2 Downtown Line Contracts | Press Room | Land Transport Authority". www.lta.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Seow, Joanna (27 November 2015). "Little India businesses eagerly await opening of Downtown Line 2 stations". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  8. ^ a b c d Mohktar, Faris (26 November 2015). "Challenges of constructing Downtown Line's Rochor and Little India MRT stations". ChannelNewasia. Archived from the original on 6 December 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  9. ^ a b c d e f Feng 2017, p. 62.
  10. ^ a b c Feng 2017, p. 60.
  11. ^ "Overcoming DTL2's Construction Challenges" (PDF). www.lta.gov.sg. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 November 2015. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  12. ^ "SSYENC". SSYENC. 25 September 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  13. ^ "Thumbs Up For Downtown Line's Earlier Opening". The Straits Times. 3 October 2014. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  14. ^ Feng 2017, p. 76.
  15. ^ Cheong, Danson (14 December 2015). "LTA duo keep DTL2 on track". The Straits Times. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  16. ^ "News Room – News Releases – The Rail Report: 12 Stations of Downtown Line 2 to Open on 27 December". www.lta.gov.sg. 6 August 2015. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  17. ^ Lim, Adrian (7 August 2015). "Phase 2 of Downtown Line to open on Dec 27". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  18. ^ "LTA | News Room | News Releases | Downtown Line 2 is Coming to Town….this December". www.lta.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 4 September 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  19. ^ Jo, Yeo Sam (28 December 2015). "Thousands check out Downtown Line 2 on opening day". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  20. ^ "MRT System Map" (PDF). Land Transport Authority (LTA). Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  21. ^ a b "Train Service Information". SBSTransit. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  22. ^ "Transport Tools – MRT/LRT". www.lta.gov.sg. 6 May 2020. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  23. ^ "Commuters can exit and re-enter rail system without penalty". The Straits Times. 22 March 2018. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  24. ^ a b "Traces of Rochor Life" (PDF). www.lta.gov.sg. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  25. ^ a b "Getting Around – Public Transport – A Better Public Transport Experience – Art in Transit". www.lta.gov.sg. 26 October 2020. Archived from the original on 21 April 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  26. ^ a b "Art-in-Transit". SBSTransit. 13 January 2021. Archived from the original on 21 April 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  27. ^ "Last day of Thieves' Market at Sungei Road on Jul 10". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 19 April 2017. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  28. ^ "Downtown Line 2 to feature Singaporean artworks". TODAYonline. 28 November 2015. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  29. ^ a b c d e "Rochor MRT Station – Projects". Architect61. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  30. ^ a b c d e "Rochor MRT Station: Singapore Mass Rapid Transit". e-architect. 21 September 2011. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.

Bibliography

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