HDB hands over long-delayed Bidadari bus interchange to LTA
The Housing Board is in the process of handing over the long-delayed Woodleigh bus interchange to the Land Transport Authority (LTA), after construction work for the underground terminal was completed in December 2024.
Located in the Bidadari housing estate, the bus interchange was originally slated to be ready by 2021.
Responding to queries from The Straits Times, HDB said on Jan 27 that the construction had presented “significant engineering challenges”, which resulted in a longer project timeline than expected.
In its update, HDB said the bus interchange’s temporary occupation permit was obtained on Dec 31.
“At present, we are working with the LTA to hand over the bus interchange to them. LTA will share more details on the operational date of the interchange when ready,” it added.
The bus interchange is located in the Woodleigh Village integrated development that comprises 330 HDB flats and a hawker centre.
The Build-To-Order (BTO) project, which is linked to Woodleigh MRT station, was launched for sale in November 2016 and its final blocks were completed in November 2022.
HDB told ST in February 2024 that the Woodleigh bus interchange was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and engineering challenges.
Extensive work and coordination between different contractors was needed to skirt or divert existing underground services – such as water, gas and electricity pipes, sewers and fibre optic cables – and ensure that these were not interrupted during construction.
Those service pipes had to be diverted before HDB could resume building and excavation works for the bus interchange and other underground facilities such as the pedestrian underpass to the MRT station.
Housewife Mira Yunos, 34, who moved into her three-room flat in Woodleigh Village in April 2023, said the long-awaited bus interchange will offer greater convenience for her family of three.
“I’m grateful that the area is taking shape despite the hiccups and delays,” she said.
Ms Mira was also relieved that the roof garden and playground – which her unit overlooks – opened last week. She previously told ST that she had to put up with construction noise and dust since she moved in.
The hawker centre in Woodleigh Village, which was initially slated to open in the second half of 2023, started operating in September 2024.
The Woodleigh district, which consists of 2,685 flats across three BTO projects, including 312 rental units, is the first in Bidadari to have all its flats completed.
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