FLOOD ALLEVIATION SCHEMES

Mr Yeo Toon Chia asked the Minister for the Environment (a) whether he will give a list of the flood areas in Singapore; and (b) what measures his Ministry plans to take to alleviate flooding in those areas, especially along roads leading to schools.

Mr Ong Pang Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, the flood prone areas in Singapore are in Bukit Timah, Potong Pasir, Jalan Eunos, Farrer Park, Opera Estate, Orchard Road, Bukit Panjang, Thomson Road and parts of Chinatown. When there is heavy rainfall, especially during periods of high tide, roads including roads leading to schools in these areas become impassable to traffic.

We are now widening and deepening the Stamford Canal, Sungei Kallang, Sungei Pang Sua and Siglap Canal, at a total cost of $96 million. When these projects are completed, Orchard Road, Potong Pasir, Bukit Panjang, Frankel Estate, Opera Estate and Jalan Eunos should no longer be frequently flooded. Drainage schemes are being planned to alleviate the flooding in the remaining areas.

It must, however, be pointed out that the flooding of low-lying areas cannot be entirely alleviated by improved drainage. For example, certain parts of the city, in particular Chinatown, are barely above the high tide levels. The ground level of these areas will have to be raised in conjunction with redevelopment, like Potong Pasir, to solve the problem of flooding.