Gali Batu Bus Depot

Gali Batu Bus Depot is an upcoming bus depot located along Jalan Gali Batu currently under construction. It was initially projected for completion and delivery in February 2023, but has since been delayed, and most recent estimates indicate completion in 2024.

Introduction

Gali Batu Bus Depot is the sixth bus depot (after Sengkang West Bus Depot) that LTA developed and funded, as well as the second multi-storey bus depot commissioned by LTA (not counting East Coast Integrated Depot). The depot is intended to accommodate additional buses that are being introduced over the years, as the overall bus capacity increases under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) and Bus Contracting Model (BCM). The depot will be located next to the Downtown Line‘s Gali Batu MRT Depot, to be built east of the current depot stabling area-cum-bus terminal and adjacent to Kranji Expressway.

The location of Gali Batu Bus Depot was confirmed in August 2017 through the approval of changes to the URA Masterplan 2014. The multi-storey depot will consist of 6 storeys and equipped with parking spaces, refuelling and washing facilities, repair and maintenance facilities, and administrative offices to support day-to-day bus operations.

In a November 2018 article by Lianhe Zaobao, the depot was said to be due for completion in 2023, with a capacity of 600 buses. Revised figures by LTA in August 2021 state a completion date of 2024 and a capacity of ‘around 500 buses’. Gamuda’s annual reports in 2021 and 2022 mention the depot’s parking capacity of 715 buses.

The bus package allocated to Gali Batu Bus Depot remains to be confirmed, but will very likely be allocated to Choa Chu Kang–Bukit Panjang Bus Package and as a replacement for Kranji Bus Depot. The route package is scheduled for contract renewal in 2023, but the depot is scheduled for completion in 2024 (not including delays incurred by the COVID-19 pandemic and Greatearth’s insolvency).

When completed, will be the fourth multi-storey bus depot in Singapore after Woodlands Bus Depot, Soon Lee Bus Depot and Sengkang West Bus Depot.

Construction:

Contract DE142 for the Proposed Multi-Storey Gali Batu Bus Depot was published on 22 October 2018. It was awarded to Greatearth Corporation Pte. Ltd. – Gamuda Berhad Singapore Branch Joint Venture (55%-45% ownership) for a sum of S$260 million on 12 November 2019. The original contract duration was 41 months, which aligned with the expected completion year of 2023.

In August 2021, local construction company Greatearth went bust amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The LTA said that it was in discussions with joint venture partner Gamuda Berhad Singapore, the Singapore branch of Malaysian infrastructure firm Gamuda, on how to ‘ensure project continuity and minimise the impact on the completion timeline’. At that time, the depot was around 15 per cent completed and was slated to be completed around 2024.

According to Gamuda’s annual reports, it pursued a full novation of the contract to Gamuda Berhad Singapore Branch with LTA, and a Supplemental Agreement was signed sometime between 2021-2022. This authorised Gamuda Berhad Singapore to move forward with the delivery of Contract DE142 as the sole contractor.

Updated Project Details

According to Gamuda’s website, the project will comprise a five-storey main bus depot, a three-storey administrative building and a five-storey dormitory equipped with parking spaces for 715 buses, refuelling and washing facilities, and repair and maintenance facilities with cutting-edge technology to cater for the operation of electric buses.

The project is also set to achieve BCA Green Mark for New Non-Residential Buildings with many green features:

• LED and photovoltaic (PV) solar panels to achieve 45% energy saving over baseline
  • 4,736 solar panels with an estimated generation capacity of 1MWp
• Rainwater harvesting system
• Automatic irrigation system with rain sensor
• Cooling tower water treatment
• Chemical water treatment for the cooling tower to achieve 7 COC
• Green building materials
• EV charger installation for fast charging
  • 120 EV chargers to support more than 200 electric buses
• Sustainable Landscape Management with the adoption of native green species – more than 50% of the flora selected wherever possible to maintain the local ecosystem

Charging Infrastructure

As part of the tender for Electric Vehicles Charging System (EVCS) for Electric Buses (Reference no.: BD401), Gali Batu Bus Depot is one of the bus depots that will be outfitted with Electric Bus Chargers, which will support the 360 three-door electric single deck buses procured by LTA in November 2023.

For Gali Batu Bus Depot, Presico Engineering Pte Ltd will be installing these EV chargers.

Operational History:

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Gallery:

External Links & References:

• 应付日益增加乘客量 兀兰将建本地第二个多层巴士车厂 – Zaobao [Accessed 9 Nov 2018]
• 5 BTO projects face delays, 2 public projects affected as contractor Greatearth goes bust, Housing News & Top Stories – The Straits Times [Accessed 1 Sep 2021]
• More Electric Buses to be Deployed from December 2024 – Land Transport Authority [Accessed 25 Nov 2023]

See Also:

• Bus Depots and Bus Parks
• Bus Contracting Model