DEVELOPMENT OF MALAYAN RAILWAY LAND

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Dr Wang Kai Yuen asked the Minister for National Development what is the plan for the development of the Malayan Railway land currently being reclaimed and whether his Ministry will consider converting the narrow piece of land upon which the railroad track is resting into a pan-island path for recreational use such as jogging and cycling.

The Minister for National Development (Mr S. Dhanabalan): Mr Speaker, Sir, three large pieces of Malayan Railway land at Keppel, Kranji and Woodlands have been identified for joint development by the Malaysian and Singapore Governments after the Keppel Station is shifted to either Bukit Timah or Woodlands.

The land at Keppel will be developed for residential and commercial use, Kranji for industrial use, and Woodlands for entertainment, residential and recreational uses.

The rest of the Malayan Railway lands are narrow strips of track lands which cannot be developed independently. These lands will either be integrated with the adjoining lands for comprehensive development or be used to complete planned road and drainage network.

It is not possible to convert the railway track lands into a pan-island path for recreational use because such lands do not fit into our planned network of open spaces for recreation. However, where the track lands abut existing recreational facilities, we shall consider using some of them for jogging and cycling tracks.

Dr Wang Kai Yuen (Bukit Timah): Sir, will the Minister inform the House when the location of the new train station will be decided and where it will most likely be located, ie, in Bukit Timah or Woodlands?

Mr Dhanabalan: Mr Speaker, Sir, this is a matter for the Malayan Railway to decide. They are looking at a site in Bukit Timah near the fire station. But as I said, they might go to Woodlands. This matter is under study by them.