AYER RAJAH EXPRESSWAY AND OVERHEAD BRIDGES

Encik Abbas Abu Amin asked the Minister for National Development when the Ayer Rajah Expressway will be completed and what steps are being taken to build overhead bridges, especially at the junction of North Buona Vista Road and Lower Kent Ridge Road, near the National University of Singapore.

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Ayer Rajah Expressway will be fully completed by 1988. The Keppel Viaduct, which is the starting point of the Expressway, was opened to traffic in September last year. The next section between the Viaduct and the Alexandra Road will be open to traffic next month. The final section is formed by Ayer Rajah Road and Upper Ayear Rajah Road. Construction work will commence sometime this year.

When fully completed, there will be a total of 12 pedestrian overhead bridges and one underpass along the Expressway. Two of these pedestrian overhead bridges will be constructed at the junction of North Buona Vista Road and Lower Kent Ridge Road.

Mr Jeyaretnam: May I ask a supplementary question? I see that part of the Ayer Rajah Expressway is going through my Constituency. Since there are blocks of flats there, has any attempt been made to find out the views of the residents, before it was decided to put a highway between those blocks?

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Mr Speaker, Sir, I do not consider that is necessary. If any resident of an HDB estate finds that he is adversely affected, he can apply to the HDB to move to a new flat.