SLA buys back Raffles Country Club site to make way for KL-Singapore High-Speed Rail

THE Singapore Land Authority (SLA) on Wednesday gazetted the acquisition of the land occupied by the Raffles Country Club (RCC) along Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim.

The land will be used to house facilities for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR), the Cross Island Line's (CRL) western depot and other transport related needs.

At a media briefing on Wednesday, representatives from the Land Transport Authority of Singapore and SLA emphasised that after extensive consultation with development agencies, the RCC site is found to be the most suitable location to run at-grade HSR tracks immediately after the bridge crossing, and to place the tunnel portal leading to the underground tunnels that would take the HSR to the Jurong East terminus.

The site will also be used for required HSR crossover tracks and a HSR siding facility to temporarily house a train near the border for safety or operational reasons, if necessary.

The RCC is also required for the CRL's western depot for stabling and maintenance facilities, as well as other transport related needs, which may include train testing facilities. Further details of the projects will be given after detailed feasibility and engineering studies.

SLA said it will work closely with the management of RCC and assist the club throughout the acquisition process.

The Singapore and Malaysia governments are working towards commencing HSR operations by Dec 31, 2026.

Last month, at the Singapore-Malaysia Leaders' Retreat, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Prime Minister Najib Razak agreed that the HSR will cross the Straits of Johor via a bridge.