IMPROVEMENT OF WALKWAY ALONG KALLANG RIVER

Mr Shriniwas Rai asked the Minister for National Development whe ther the Government can improve the walkway along the Kallang River by constructing tunnels underneath the roads so that pedestrians and cyclists could have continuous access along the walkway.

Mr Lim Hng Kiang: The walkway referred to is the Kallang Park Connector. It is a long term plan by the National Parks Board to build an islandwide network of park connectors linking the various parks. Since the inception of the plan, the National Parks Board has completed 2 stretches of park connector along the Kallang River, namely:

(a) a 6.8 km stretch linking the Central Catchment at Upper Thomson Road and Bishan Park to the Jalan Toa Payoh section of the PIE;

(b) a 2.0 km stretch from Serangoon Road to Kallang MRT

station.

The National Parks Board is giving priority to build segments of park connectors to meet the needs of residents living nearby. Crossings to improve the continuous access require greater detailed planning, design and co-ordination and these are being phased in gradually when feasible.

The National Parks Board will consider tunnels as well as other appropriate crossings for park connectors. The choice will depend on the traffic conditions of the surrounding roads, land availability at site and cost. The construction of the park connectors and crossings in built-up areas like those along the Kallang River is further complicated by the existing infrastructure and developments there. So far 2 crossings have been completed along the Kallang Park Connector, namely the overhead bridge at Braddell Road and the at-grade crossing along Bishan Road. More will be done in due course.