Gali Batu Bus Depot

Gali Batu Bus Depot is a future bus depot located off Woodlands Road, to be built on currently undeveloped land near Kranji Expressway. Projected for completion and delivery in February 2023, it will be handed over to the successful tenderer of a currently-unknown bus package under the Bus Contracting Model (BCM).

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’.

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 Proposed Multi-Storey Gali Batu Bus Depot was published on 22 October 2018, and was awarded on 12 November 2019 to Greatearth Corporation Pte. Ltd. – Gamuda Berhad Singapore Branch Joint Venture for 260 million dollars.

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.

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]

See Also:

• Bus Depots and Bus Parks
• Bus Contracting Model