TUNNELLING WORKS IN CIRCLE LINE (Cracks in buildings in Bussorah Street and Arab Street)

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TUNNELLING WORKS IN CIRCLE LINE:

(Cracks in buildings in Bussorah Street and Arab Street): 8.

Mr Heng Chee How asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether there is any connection between the tunnelling works of the Circle Line and the observed cracks in some buildings in Bussorah Street and Arab Street; and (b) what action is his Ministry taking to address the concerns of residents and businesses in the area on building safety.

Mr Yeo Cheow Tong: Mr Speaker, Sir, the cracks in the shop units around the Arab and Bussorah Street area were first reported in early March this year. As these buildings were in the vicinity of the

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Circle Line construction works, LTA asked its contractor to engage an independent structural consultant to inspect all the affected shop units and to check that they were structurally safe. Arising from the inspections, the consultant specified repair works where necessary, and these were immediately carried out. These included sealing up the cracks and putting up steel props to enhance the stability of the affected buildings. Additional monitoring instruments were also installed to monitor ground movements at critical areas.

Based on LTA's observation of instrumentation readings, the cracks were caused by ground settlement due to the drawdown of ground water table near Arab Street and Bussorah Street area arising from the Circle Line works. Measures have already been taken to recharge water into the ground to prevent further water drawdown and to control the ground settlement.

Following the Nicoll Highway incident, to reassure occupants who had complained of cracks in their buildings, LTA also required the contractors to engage Professional Engineers (PEs) to certify the safety of these buildings and to submit these certifications to LTA. LTA and BCA will review these certifications, and if satisfied, will write to the building owners/occupants to inform them of the PE's findings.

The PEs have been inspecting the buildings around the Nicoll Highway station worksite, including those along Arab Street and Bussorah Street . As of today, 135 units out of 137 units around Arab and Bussorah Street area have been inspected. All the units inspected have been confirmed to be structurally safe and LTA has informed the owners and the occupants. Inspection work on the remaining 2 buildings is on-going. In the

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meantime, LTA and the contractors will continue to closely monitor all the buildings in the area until the civil construction works are completed.

I would also like to assure Members that LTA has in place a system to respond to concerns from the public over cracks found in their buildings near LTA worksites. LTA has a 24-hour hotline for the public to report any such problems and LTA treats every report of building cracks or soil movement in the vicinity of its work sites very seriously by responding immediately.