Yew Tee residents look forward to shorter commutes with DTL extension

Slated to open in 2035, new stations will save residents up to 30 minutes in travel time

- Vanessa Paige Chelvan

While Yew Tee Village resident Kelvin Loke uses public transport daily, he always opts for a taxi or private-hire car ride when he needs to head to the city, as the bus and train journey from his home takes too much time.

This is set to change, as a new underground MRT station will be built near Yew Tee Village around Choa Chu Kang Drive and Choa Chu Kang Crescent as part of a planned extension of the Downtown Line (DTL) from Bukit Panjang to Sungei Kadut, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced on Jan 6.

Mr Loke, who is self-employed, said the new DTL station will make travelling to the city via public transport a more viable option. For instance, using the DTL to go to the city today would take over an hour, as he would need to get on bus service 979 to Bukit Panjang, with the journey taking 30 to 40 minutes.

With the new station within spitting distance of his home, Mr Loke said he would definitely take the train when travelling downtown in future. Another benefit he hopes to reap is an increase in the value of his flat after the new rail extension is completed.