NDR 2026: Singapore studying undersea tunnels to connect mainland to Pulau Tekong
This will take decades to complete and require long-term planning, resources and investment
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[SINGAPORE] The government is studying the feasibility of building undersea tunnels to create a land connection between the mainland and Pulau Tekong.
This was among several long-term infrastructure plans for Singapore announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the National Day Rally on Sunday (Aug 23).
Currently, recruits can only reach the outlying island by boat.
While building bridges may seem an “obvious solution”, these would cut across busy shipping channels, he said. “So if we can’t go over the sea, we will try to go under it.”
Singapore has experience building underground road tunnels, but has never built undersea tunnels of this scale, PM Wong said, calling the plan “a major engineering undertaking”.
But success would mean bringing the outer islands much closer to the rest of Singapore, and creating an easier journey to Tekong for recruits, he said.
In his speech, the prime minister addressed plans for several other projects, including the merger of Semakau, Bukom, Pulau Sudong and other islands to form a Western island.
He also noted planned enhancements for Sentosa and the transformation at neighbouring Pulau Brani – which will include new attractions and experiences as well as a Downtown South resort by the National Trades Union Congress. Land will be reclaimed to better connect Brani and Sentosa.
Meanwhile, Long Island – where preparatory works for land reclamation off East Coast Park will begin in end-2026 – “will become another new waterfront for future generations”, he said.
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PM Wong said that the projects will take decades to complete and require resources, planning and investment over many terms of government.
“That’s what long-term planning is about,” he said, noting that the country’s pioneers built for the current generation, and the current government “will do so for the generations that follow”.
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